When The Sky Falls
by TheTrueAmerican
Summary: An epic tale with a new twist on the Gravity Falls story. I hope you all enjoy.
1. Gravity Falls Becomes Sky

Hey guys, TheTrueAmerican here! This is my first plot story, so comment your ideas! If I like you enough I'll even give shoutouts to helpful fans, The first few chapters are short, but they get longer the more you keep reading.

But this story isn't about that.

This story...

Is justice.


	2. All Good Things,,,

When The Sky Falls

 _What do I feel? After All this time... I don't know. Understanding, I suppose. An understanding of them. How they feel. About you. About me. We are infinite beings in this universe. What could we possibly need to understand? These humans. These people. I understand them. For all our power, we never truly grasped that concept. Humanity is such a fragile thing. What we will never have. They are not so unlike us, you and I. Our curiosity of these people. Their's of us. One day they will understand. And on that day, the sky will fall._

It was deep in the forests of Gravity Falls, and things were oddly peaceful. The trees were still, the birds chirping cheerfully, and the world seemed just a little out of place as it always was. Suddenly, a blinding flash of light from nothingness caused the two-headed squirrels to bolt. There, standing in the light, stood a person, not much younger than 20. However, one look at him and you could tell, he was unlike any other man you had seen before. He had a fire in his eyes burning with a sense of purpose. His clothes were ripped and torn, as though he had just experienced a very trying ordeal. Or just looked like a laid off hobo. Come to think of it, theres probably a lot of men like him. However, the knowledge he possessed was, in fact, unique to this world. As he coughed out a breath, he fell to his knees, weak from the journey, and began to laugh to himself. He was nearly amazed that his journey here had been successful, but now he was on a mission. "Finally... It's time...", he said to himself, "...time to fix everything you've done."

...and as the light glistened through the trees, there seemed to be a shimmer about the man.

Elsewhere, Dipper Pines had just discovered that UFO's existed. Now, even in a place like Gravity Falls, that was a fairly odd and important discovery. But still, in Gravity Falls, Dipper had become accustomed to discovering the unexplained. The initial shock of the UFO brought jitters, but he was too focused to be excited for long. His great uncle Ford brought him here to help seal a rift in space-time, be it incredibly important. But as they scaled down the ladder to retrieve some alien adhesive, a frantic banging came from the porthole above.

"Just ignore it. Probably a Gremoblin." Uncle Ford said.

Dipper shrugged and continued downward, but then an unfamiliar voice called out;

"DIPPER AND STANFORD PINES I NEED TO TALK TO YOU!"

"...how...who...friend of yours?" Dipper stuttered.

"Dipper I've been stuck in another dimension for thirty years, I don't have friends." Ford replied coldly.

Dipper pondered for a second before climbing back up and opening the hatch, only to see a man he'd never met before.

"Um...who-" Dipper said before he was cut off;

"Oh my God... it's really you... Look, Dipper I don't have much time to explain, but just know that I know about Bill, about the oncoming storm, and you need my help..."


	3. New Face, New Name

Dipper was rendered speechless. Who was this man, and how did he know so much about them? Great uncle Ford was a little less friendly. As soon as he exited the porthole, he whipped out his crossbow and fired a shot just skimming the man's ear.

"FORD WHAT THE HELL YOU CRAZY BASTARD!?" The man yelled in fear.

"Who are you, how do you know who we are, who sent you, why are you here, and give me one good reason the next one doesn't miss" Ford replied, keeping the arrow trained on his head.

The man shuddered a bit before answering slowly, "My name is Sam...son. Samson Chains. Me knowing you is going to take a lot of explaining, so I'll get to that-"

Ford tensed his muscles, his trigger finger quivering

"-VERY SHORTLY" Samson stammered, "And I sent myself. Im on a mission to fix everything that goes wrong in the coming hours".

At that, Dipper found his voice; "Wait, so, are you with the time police?" He asked.

"Sort of... I could be considered an interdimentional vigilante" Samson replied slowly, "And for the record, without me, your friend Cipher runs free releasing the apocalypse, and holds Mabel prisoner".

At the mention of Bill and Mabel, Ford immediately dropped the crossbow. He ran up and grabbed Samson by the shoulders, looking him dead in the eye. "How. Much. Do. You. Know?"

Samson never broke his gaze. "Everything. And more. Much more." He replied.

Ford slowly let him go, and picked up his bow, but now only holding it to Samson's chest.

Dipper spoke up; "You said that in a few hours, Bill is free, but Grunkle Ford and I were just about to-"

"Get the alien super glue? Yes, I know. You trip the security system while trying, and it nearly kills Ford. Luckily, Dipping sauce here saves your butt" Samson smirked.

Dipper turned a shade of bright red; only Mabel and one other person ever called him that...

"How could you possibly know about that!? Only Fiddleford and I knew about this place!" Grunkle Ford fumed.

"Im sorry, what part of 'interdimentional vigilante' don't you understand? I know everything. I know your pasts, your feelings... And every possible future you can experience". Samson retorted, "I also know that without me, this timeline is on a one way ticket to armeggedon. Which brings me here: we need to free Bill Cipher"

Grunkle Ford suddenly raised his bow right between Samson's eyes; Samson barely blinked.

"What the HELL do you mean FREE BILL CIPHER!? You just said you were here to help us stop him!" Ford yelled.

"I never directly said that. The truth is, the apocalypse cannot be stopped, only delayed. Maybe a hundred years after you all pass, another genius will make a deal with Bill Cipher, and the cycle will begin again. We cannot let that happen. So, If the apocalypse must come, let it be on our terms, when we are ready for him".

Ford twitched, then pondered Samson's words for several moments, before finally lowering his crossbow.

"Thank you Ford. Now I know you both have more questions than have ever been asked, so I'll try to cover the basics. What you call the Mindscape, dreams, is essentially the nexus point of all realities. It allows your mind to see into other dimensions. Other realities. All of your dreams are real, In one dimension or another. And if you can harness is, you can travel there. Thats how I got here."

Dipper and Ford stood there with mouths agape, barely able to form words. But then Ford got tense and started asking again, "How, then, did you travel through the mindscape? The only being in the universe with interdimentional knowledge and capabilities is Bill Cipher."

"Thats actually a fantastic question, great job Fords, Im actually not the first of my kind. I came here with the assistance of another insane scientist, Rick. Hopefully you may get to know him later. He came to my world and pretty much grabbed me off the streets, rambling on about if I wanted to save the world. Im pretty sure he was drunk at that point. I didn't really care, Im in Gravity Falls, that's all that matters. And I have a LOT of work to prepare you all for."

Ford tensed angrily at be referred to as an 'insane scientist'. Similarly, Dippers eyes narrowed accusingly, "And how do we know you arn't working for bill, trying to set him free?" He said as Ford raised his bow once again.

"Ok, fair point. Dipper, you have always wanted the name Tyrone, you listen to BABBA, you underwent the Manataur training to get your first chest hair, and you have the worlds biggest crush on Wendy Corduroy" Samson replied with a wry smile.

Dipper immediately froze. "I...I...I..." Dipper stuttered. It was quiet for a long while, before Ford interjected; "...You did Manataur training?" He asked Dipper.

"What? ...Yeah, why? Is that surprising?" Dipper said defensively.

"It's just...I wouldn't have thought..." Ford stammered as Dipper glared at him.

"Hey guys FOCUS. I can't have you killing each other before we fix everything" Samson snapped at them.

"Ok smart guy, how exactly are we supposed to defeat Bill Cipher?" Ford grumbled.

"We find the one being in the multiverse that knows everything about him. And to do that... We're going to need your universe portal".


	4. Not What He Seems

Ford was about to start pulling his hair out, "IF YOU WANT TO LIVE STOP SAYING THINGS THAT MAKE ME WANT TO SHOOT YOU!"

Dipper nodded his head "Yeah, the journals are clear, that portal could cause the end of the known universe! Its a miracle Grunkle Ford made it back!"

"Only because Bill had you program the portal to his dimension without you knowing. I can give you coordinates as to where the portal leads. Theres someone that we need help from, Desperately. Ill explain everything on the way to the shack. There are others I have to meet." Samson said hurriedly.

As Ford and Dipper slowly trailed Samson back to the Mystery Shack, Grunkle Ford whispered into Dipper's ear "I don't know whether or not we can believe this guy, but I can tell you one thing; that man's name is NOT 'Samson Chains'..."

Dipper perked up attentive, "What do you mean? How do you know?"

Grunkle Ford kept his voice low, "Because, 'Samson Chains'. As in Samson's chains. Its an old story from the christian Bible. And someone would only use an alias like that if they were hiding something".

Dipper pondered for a moment before replying, "Don't tip him off, play it cool"

Ford smiled, impressed with the young boy's instincts.

"Hey, Samson..." Ford called out, giving Dipper the 'I got this' look.

"...Who is it that we are supposed to find thats going to help us? This 'one being who knows everything about Bill'...?" Grunkle Ford asked disbelieving.

Samson stopped where he stood, and looked Grunkle Ford in the eye, before answering in a low voice,

"Dipper Pines".

...

...

...Ford and Dipper stood there in complete silence. Samson sighed, and kept on walking.

"You know, a lot of what I will say wont make sense at the time, and we don't have enough time for me to explain everything. One of these days, you'll just have to take what I say on faith. Just meet me back at the shack when you get the glue. But JUST the glue. DON'T seal the rift just yet, or we wont have any safe way to open the gateway". Samson said with a twinge of sadness in his voice; "I came to help. To SAVE you. Please. Just let me". And with that, Samson wandered back into the forest, on his way to the Mystery Shack.

Ford looked at Dipper longingly, before starting back to the UFO. "Wait..." Dipper said softly. "What he said. About me, knowing everything about Bill. Do you think... That theres a world where I joined him? Where... where I'm a disciple of Bill Cipher?"

"Kid, I don't think theres any version of you in the entire multiverse that would ever join with Bill. And I don't like the idea of trusting Samson any more than you do. But, if theres a way to kill or banish Bill forever, we're gonna have to hope theres a Dipper in the universe thats even more obsessed with the supernatural than you... If thats even possib-"

Dipper didn't even care, he ran up and hugged uncle Ford, tears streaming down his eyes

"T...thank...you...Im not...Im not a bad person... Right?" Dipper said sniffling.

Ford was shocked. He wasn't good at replicating human emotion or sympathy, but he knew exactly what this boy was going through. He, too, had let Bill possess him to unlock certain secrets, and had pondered for years himself what kind of person he was.

Ford got on his knees, eye level with Dipper, and hugged him back, a single tear running down his own face. "I believe in you Dipper. I trust you." Ford said softly to the crying boy.

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 _Ok, now that Ford and Dipper are dealt with,_ I need to get to the Shack... Samson thought to himself.

He wandered through the forest, unsure of what exact direction to go, but he was sure that if he was confident in the direction he took, then he would eventually end up at the Mystery Shack.

Of course, this was wrong and ill-advised, and began to wish he hadn't left the Pines behind. However, he did make it into town after an hour or so.

Unaware that he was being watched...

Sam stood at the edge of the town, reminiscing on how he was ACTUALLY in the world of Gravity Falls. Everything looked just how he remembered it. It was still hard for _him_ to believe that the mindscape, and all the alternate realities, all were real.

And he certainly had a lot of work to do. All the wrought and heartbreak that would happen soon, he wouldn't le see the light of day.

Samson soon found himself in a local diner, getting a few eyeballs. Lazy Susan greeted him kindly and gave him some fresh coffee and a place to sit. Sam thanked her and quietly sipped at it while scanning the room, and quickly found who he was looking for.

Sitting longingly in one of the back booths was a somber Bud Gleeful, slowly emptying another bottle of beer. Samson sat down opposite Bud, barely swaying his concentration.

"What brings you here stranger?" Bud asked In a solemn voice.


	5. Sins of the Father

Bud Gleeful wasn't exactly an outstanding citizen, but he was fairly popular with a few of the locals. When he, his wife, and his only son Gideon moved to Gravity Falls, everything seemed quaint and peaceful. They had been attracted to all the local legends of mystery and superstition, Gideon most of all. As a boy his favorite books were Harry Potter, and always dreamed of sprites and fairies to the amusement of his parents.

And then one day while playing in the forest looking for gnomes, Gideon found a metal lockbox underneath a tree root that had seemed to grow over it. He went back home and asked his dad to get his axe and follow him. Bud followed Gideon back to the box, which someone had gone to great length to keep it secure.

Bud was intrigued, and began chopping at the root. As Bud continued chopping, Gideon couldn't help but notice the surrounding trees seemed to turn towards him, even though that was impossible and ridiculous. As Bud finally cut clean through the root, leaves began to fall and the birds cried out in flocks.

Gideon was always light hearted and cheerful, but right now, he felt fear. Bud took notice and patted him on his messy hair. "There there son. Everything's alright"

"Daddy... Im... Im scared. The trees... They're looking at us" Gideon said worriedly.

Bud perked his eyes up. The old pine trees surrounding them looked more cracked and decrepit than he remembered. And their branches almost looked as if they were threatening to grab and rip and tear them.

"It's getting late. Must be a trick of the light..." Bud said, trying to convince himself as much as Gideon.

Gideon slowly nodded, and went to grab the metal box from where it laid. As they began to walk home, Gideon could have sworn there were eyes watching their every move.

As Bud and Gideon walked back into their tent home, they could smell his mother's heavenly cooking, which made the two boys instantly relax and mouths water.

"Mommy, check'it what daddy and I found!" Gideon beemed, showing her the box.

His mother smiled and ruffled his hair. "Do you know whats inside?" She asked.

Gideon shrugged his shoulders as Bud spoke up "Gideon, help ya mama finish up supper, I'll be outside getting this rascal open. Y'all let me know if ya need anything!"

Gideon smiled and hugged Bud's leg, "Thank ya daddy" he said jovially, before getting back to his mother.

As Bud went out back with lockbox and axe in hands, he thought to himself how lucky he was to have such a sweet and caring son. Setting down the lockbox, he carefully observed each detail. The metal was rusted and worn, but the most interesting part was the lock. It appeared to be a standard three number set, but the symbols on the wheels weren't like anything he'd seen before. A shooting star, a six fingered hand, cracked glasses, some pac man fish thing, and others. He had no idea what the symbols were or what they meant.

So he tried the only logical thing he could think of. He bashed the lock with the end of his axe. The lock busted and suddenly he heard thunder crack the sky. _Strange..._ He thought, _it wasn't supposed to rain today_...

Bud slowly opened the box as the dust settled. There, lying in the metal, was an old worn book with a faded number 2 sketched on top a golden six fingered had, just like on the lock.

Bud slowly opened the cover and delicately read the first page; "I don't know if I'm going mad or simply obsessed, but i've decided to continue my research into the supernatural wonders of Gravity Falls, Oregon"

Bud felt lightheaded at his apperant luck. "HEY GIDEON! Y'ALLS GONNA LOVE THIS!"

It all started that night. The night Bud Gleeful turned his son into a monster. All because of that book.

That horrible, accursed book...

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"Just a weary traveler, passing through" Samson lied, "But I know the lay of the land well enough to know what looking for regret at the bottom of a bottle looks like."

 _Just play it cool,_ Samson told himself _, he doesn't suspect a thing..._

Bud actually kind of chuckled at that. "Well I'd say you're wiser than your years young man. So tell me, what's yer poison? Seems to me I'm not the only one with a past he needs to forget".

"Whiskey" Samson said with a crooked smile. Bud seemed to have more intuition than he let on, but that could be used to his advantage.

 _This is good. Patience. Don't lead him on too early..._

Bud smiled as he walked up to the counter, making small talk with Lazy Susan. He came back with a bottle of whiskey and two shot glasses in his hands. He set them both in the center and looked at Samson. There was something about this kid that reminded him of something... _Something in himself_ Bud realized

"Let me tell you something sir, I have yet to see a man your age hold his whiskey..." Bud said half jovially.

Samson smiled, poured himself a shot, and lifted it in cheers. Bud smiled as they chinked their glasses before downing them. Sam sat there for a few seconds feeling confident with a smirk on his face. "That's what I thought..." Bud said, "That certainly wasn't your first glass, and something tells me that it won't be your last". Samson's smirk faded. His perception skills were impressive _drunk_. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't intriuged.

"Tell me young man, what is it you're trying to forget?" Bud asked earnestly. _Hah, so... so many things..._ Sam thought to himself. He stated at the drops of whiskey left on the bottom of his shot glass. Bud took the bottle and filed them up liberally, before Sam said in a solemn voice "...to family".

Bud visibly tended a bit, but still drank cheers one last time.

So stranger..." Bud asked, "...what brings a lonely man out to Gravity Falls?"

"Business" Samson replied, "I have a lot of friends to talk talk to..." _And deals to make..._

"Friends? I don't know where you come from sir, but in Gravity Falls... Theres noone you can trust..." Bud trailed off.

"What, did you read that in a book...?" Samson said carefully, watching for Bud's reaction.

Bud stiffened. His eyes narrowed, staring at his empty shotglass. "I did, actually" He said begrudgingly, "many years ago."

"Care to share your story?" Samson asked.

"If you tell me yours" Bud replied slightly on edge.

"Fair. My name is Sam Chains. I lived in a place far from here, a place I have no intention of returning to..." He said choosing his words carefully, "People call me a wanderer. I've been to Gravity Falls before, and I stopped by to collect some debts..., set a few things straight. And the way I see it, you and I can help each other."

Bud looked Samson in the eye "And how do you suppose that?" He asked.

 _Time to play my hand_

"You're Bud Gleeful, right? Your son is Gideon Gleeful. So I'll tell you what. I'll make you a deal... You help me with a little project..., and I can help you get your son back"

The ringing sound of shattered glass echoed the room as Bud dropped his whiskey bottle...


	6. And Suddenly I See You

Hey guys, TheTrueAmerican here! Sorry for the late update, been having to use my other computer, and've been trying to make these chapters longer. Also, I would **really appreciate a review** , just to see how the story is going. Enjoy!

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"BUD! YOU DROP YOUR WHISKEY AGAIN?" Lazy Susan yelled from the kitchen. You could almost see the fire in Bud's eyes. Sam didn't even have time to react before Bud grabbed him by the collar and began dragging him across the diner floor. _Just play it cool…_ Samson said to himself, as everyone inside watched him being slowly dragged away. Once outside, Bud threw Sam on the ground and narrowed his eyes. Every fiber in Samson's being told him to run, but he needed Bud to trust him… which seemed less and less likely as Bud continued advancing on him.

"You've got some 'splaining to do _Sammy_ …" Bud said threateningly; Before Tyler started chanting "GEET 'EM, GEET 'EM!" from the doorway. Fear in his eyes, Samson started crawling away from Bud before backing into a tree trunk.

"M-Mr. Gleeful, **Please** , Let's talk about th-gucg" Samson stammered before Bud gripped his throat in his meaty hand.

"You listen to me here **boy** …" Bud said in a gravely dark voice, "I lost my son years ago. The monster that's locked up in that prison deserves every second in there. It's my fault he became like this, now let me drink him away in peace". Bud released his grip on Samson's neck, who then proceeded gasping for air.

"GLEEFUL! Please, just listen to me, I'm begging you" Samson said between coughs.

Bud turned, "Anything you say can and will be used against you" he said in a completely non-joking manner.

Sam rose to his feet. "I know what you've been through. I know what happened to your son. I know about Journal 2 and the night you gave it to him…And about what happened to your wife…" At this Bud got much tenser and fists clenched, "…And I know how much you wanted to forget. The alcoholism, the Blind Eye Society, but you never truly forgot did you? You never forgot… And you never forgave".

Bud expression changed drastically, from a look of anger and confusion, to a look of true pure sorrow. Bud fell to his knees, and Samson saw a single tear run down the man's face. Samson walked up and put a hand on his shoulder, only to see Bud begin sobbing uncontrollably. Samson was spellbound by this fully grown man crying like a toddler. Samson always had trouble dealing with other people's emotions, but he felt the right thing to do here was to just put his arms around the man and hug him.

"… my fault…. It was all….. my fault…." Bud said between wails. Sam just held the man tighter, in an effort to calm him down. It was unexpected when Bud pressed his own hand on Samson's back. "Th- Thank… Thank you… Sammy…" Bud sniffled. _I'm never going to get used to that_ _name_ Samson mentally sighed.

"I'm here Bud. And I can help you. I can help you get your **son** back". Sam repeated. It took Bud a moment to realize what he had said. Bud couldn't handle it anymore. "If you can truly do what you say you can Sammy, I would do anything you ever asked" Bud said earnestly

 _Anything…_ Sam realized. "I can Bud. I can help you. But I need something first…"

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"How, exactly, does betraying Samson help us stop Bill Cipher?" Dipper asked ford carefully.

Grunkle Ford sighed, this boy was far too trusting for his own good. It was going to get him killed someday, or worse. "Samson Chains cannot be trusted. I don't fully understand yet how he possesses the knowledge he does, but I fully intend to find out, preferably with long hours of interrogative torture"

Dipper cringed. "Grunckle Ford, you really need to get over this sadistic streak. People tend to be… afraid…." He said trying to mask his own fear. Grunkle Ford was easily the smartest person he had ever met, but all that time in isolation did something to his sanity.

"Don't worry about me Dipper. Come on, It's not too far to the Shack now. You can help me set up countermeasures. I'll even let you hold the blowtorch." Ford replied.

Dipper didn't know what to do. He trusted his Grunkle, even though he was told repeatedly not to. But Samson seemed to know things beyond his comprehension. He was shady and a huge unknown, neither of which was good. But he peaked Dippers interest immensely. And this… other Dipper. He wasn't sure what to make of it all just yet, but he got the feeling that Samson could be more useful as an ally rather than a pawn.

"DIPPER!" he heard a voice yell. Dipper, franticly looking around, had somehow failed to notice the girl in the bright pink sweater hanging above him from a grapping hook.

"Mabel?" both Dipper and Ford spoke in unison. "How… What are you doing up there?" Dipper yelled back. Mabel slowly lowered herself to the ground before running up and giving Dipper a really tight hug.

"Whoa Whoa Mabel what's going on?" Dipper said concerned. It was unlike Mabel to venture this deep into the forest alone.

"Dip, I was in my room, and... And I heard you crying…" Mabel said as she pulled out her pocket radio. "…I kind of, came to rescue you… I guess"

Dipper shocked expression turned into a heart warmed smile. "I love you too" He said as he hugged Mabel back.

Ford stood there, mostly expressionless. Sibling bonding was interesting to study from an outside perspective, but Ford always had the nagging thought that the twins were to close. He didn't want to ruin their relationship like he and his brother, but the trust they had in each other was incredibly strong. He feared it could be used against them. _Betrayal and broken faith won't fix this…_ _but a little separation of interests just might…_ Ford realized.

Suddenly Ford had an idea. A terribly fantastic idea. "Hey kids, the Shack's not too far. We'll want to get there before dinner. I hear my brother makes a good stew now and then" Ford chimed in.

The kids turned to him with smiles on their faces and purpose in their eyes. "Grunkle Stan can make stew out of anything. I'm pretty sure he tried to feed us an old boot once as a 'secret ingredient'" Dipper laughed. "Yeah and you asked for seconds!" Mabel laughed harder.

Mabel suddenly went up and hugged Ford much to everyone's surprise. "Grunkle Ford, I know you've been away a while, and you never got around to fixing things with Grunkle Stan. But that's ok. All the bad memories from the past, all the things you did, they don't matter anymore. What matters is that you're here, now, with your family. Any you can make new memories. Good memories. With Grunckle Stan… And us". Mabel said hopefully.

Ford and Dipper alike were stunned, But Dipper smiled and nodded. He walked up and hugged Ford alongside Mabel.

For once, Ford felt something he'd never felt before. Love. It hit him like a pile of bricks, and he thought he was about to have a stroke, but it was there. Love for another human being. Or two in this case. He looked at the twins and saw in them pieces of himself, something to be cherished and protected. He got on his knees slowly, and hugged the twins tightly.

And he silently cursed himself for what he was about to do.


	7. A Shadow Of His Former Self

AN: inspiration for this chapter came from thomaspheasant, check out his awesome account for more great stories!

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"Sammy… I know you know a lot more than you let on, and I'm ok with that. But there's something I need to know…" Bud said cautiously to the passenger seat. After their little moment behind the diner, Bud was more than willing to give Samson a ride back to the Tent of Telepathy.

"Yes?" Samson acknowledged in a cool, calculated tone. Sam was getting tired of all the questions everyone always had for him, although his existence did bring about a few unknowns, so he answered what he could. Bud so far had only asked for one thing, so he decided to indulge him in whatever was on his mind.

 _You really need to stop being so generous_. _These people can't be trusted..._ Samson said to himself, _the time will come for you to choose…_

"…I was wondering, how? How… do you intend to bring my son back?" Bud asked almost pleading. And there he went, saving his one question for the big one. Samson mentally grimaced, but turned to grin at Bud.

"What happened to your son, Is a very delicate manner. He became obsessed with the power of the supernatural. All these years, it's twisted his mind. Corrupted him. And I know how much you love him, which is why I am going to get your loving son back... How?" Samson asked, "We made a deal, and I _never_ break my deals. I need something special of Gideon's. I'll explain more when we get home" Sam replied keeping a close eye on Bud's reactions.

Bud was slightly frustrated with not getting a straight answer; however what Samson said put him at ease. _It was good enough…_ Bud thought, _I'm gonna see my boy again…_

Samson found a wry smile across his face as he saw the distant Mystery Shack between the trees. "Don't worry Bud…" Samson said, "…I'll get your son back in no time.

No time at all…"

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Dipper sat alone in his room staring out the window at the passing cars on the road below. Against Fords approval, they had kept the adhesive and rift separate, at least for now. That's not what he was worried about. He glanced over to his alarm clock. 7:30. Waiting for Samson's return was agonizing. He had so many questions.

 _So many questions…_

Dipper shivered. It wasn't particularly cold, but more of the feeling of something just out of sight. The chills down your spine but there is nothing there.

 _Or a voice just out of reach…_

Dipper jerked his head backwards, but of course he was alone in his bedroom. He cursed himself for being so paranoid. But that echoing voice. Soft. Dark. Sinful. Always in the back of his mind…

"This is stupid" Dipper said to himself. He knew his imagination could get the better of him sometimes. Besides, they Bill-proofed the shack hours ago. Ford assured him that Bill couldn't touch his mind. Not from the mindscape.

Dipper never told a soul, but since his possession by Bill Cipher, he was never the same. Others just thought he was cold and soulless like his uncle ford. But to Dipper… Bill never fully left. Whispers from nowhere. Cruel remarks he wouldn't say were his own. And the nightmares. The terrible, horrible nightmares. They terrified him. Every night, the same thing, over, and over…

It was him. It was always him. The one holding the knife. The one laughing as he listened to the screaming. Watching the blood pour. From his friends… his family…

 _What have they ever done for you…_

Dipper spun wildly and sank the blade deep into the wall's wood. Only then he realized, he'd picked up the knife. Dipper sprang backwards, desperately trying to catch his breath. The knife he kept underneath the bed… He didn't even remember picking it up.

He slowly removed the blade from the wall, only to shove it back under his bed. Dipper sat in his bed for a while, breathing fast and out of sequence, before Mabel showed up in her PJ's.

"Hey Dip Dop! How's it hangin?" Mable said, cheeks beaming. Dipper suddenly smiled, no look of negativity on his face.

"All good here Mabel" Dipper said casually, before he suddenly coughed from the lack of air.

"Feeling alright Broseph?" Mabel asked concerned.

"Never better" Dipper replied, his face slowly straining.

"Okie Dokie Dipping sauce… I just got done with the shower, so you can take it if you want"

Dipper smiled and nodded, being thankful for an excuse to leave. He headed downstairs and locked the bathroom door. Dipper was burning under the scorching hot water, but honestly he didn't mind. The pain had a slight humor to it. But Dippers giggles soon turned to sniffles, and then into sobs. He couldn't tell where the water on his face was coming from.

Dipper slowly exited the shower, and looked into the bathroom mirror. He couldn't see himself with it being so steamed over. But suddenly, he compulsively drew a familiar triangle with an eye in the center, along with a single word:

 _Revenge_

Dipper carefully wrapped himself up in towels and headed back up to his room. He spent more time in there than he realized, Stan usually told him when to get out to save water, but he was fast asleep.

As he slowly headed upstairs, he could hear all the faint sounds the old house made. The wind against the shingles, the creaks and cracks of old boards, _the quickening of his own breathing_.

Stepping into his room, He realized Mabel was cozily asleep. That would make things easier. Dipper crawled into bed, and quickly fell asleep from exhaustion.

 _Not done yet…_

 _,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,_

"D-Dip… Dipper… What are you-"Mabel panicked as a hand and damp rag covered her mouth. Mabel started panicking before quickly falling asleep.

…

…

…"Where am I?" Mabel asked panicked, realizing she was tied down to a chair.

"Oh don't worry, the doctor will be with you shortly" came a chuckling voice from the shadows.

Suddenly, out stepped Dipper, wearing his black cloak, and a barber knife in his hand. Mabel started screaming as Dipper came closer step by step.

"Aha…ahaha…ahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAHA" Dipper laughed hysterically as he cut deep wounds all across Mabel's body, ignoring her begging screams to stop. They only made him laugh harder. Dipper marveled at the pool of blood forming on the floor. The blood covering his hands. It was so **hysterical**. So much suffering, he almost fell on the floor busting his gut. The screams were so horrible, choking on blood and tears, he was dying there. One clean sweep. The screaming stopped.

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHH" Dipper screamed as he shot out of bed, waving the knife in his hands in all directions. He stopped, petrified, before dropping the knife like it was on fire. Kicking it back under the bed, He laid in his bed and softly cried for what felt like hours.

He then looked to his side, and turned on a special nightlight. A blacklight, illuminating the room. There, on every inch of every wall, written in invisible ink, were the same two words, over and over.

 **Can't Sleep**


	8. Secrets

AN: Let me know what you all thought of getting into dark Dipper and deeper into specific characters. Enjoy!"

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Dipper lay awake in bed for so long. As the hours passed, the only thing that made him relax was the calming sound of Mabel's breathing. It actually made his insomnia bearable. Dipper pulled out journals 2 and 3 and began feverishly looking through the pages of Bill Cipher, Again. He always felt like there was something he was missing. Something he could find to cure himself of whatever he had.

 _There's no escape…_

Dipper was determined to solve this. He couldn't keep living like this, he refused to. There had to be another way.

 _Just listen to me…_

"GO. AWAY." Dipper said sternly to himself. He almost heard light laughing in the distance. It hurt so much to know that at this point, He truly couldn't tell what was real. He needed answers, desperately. Maybe it was time to talk to Grunkle Ford, see if he had any ideas as to what was going on.

Dipper took a pen and lifted up his sleeve. His arms were the same as the wall. Everywhere, Can't Sleep. He wrote it down again, to remind himself. You. Can't. Sleep.

Dipper was scared. Most of the time, he was always scared. But this was different. He was terrified. HE felt like he was losing his mind. What would happen… If one day… It wasn't a dream? Would he even be able to tell? Dipper couldn't stop thinking about it.

"I have to get help. I need to find Samson." Dipper said out loud.

"Who's Samson?" Mabel asked softly. Dipper jumped, and checked his alarm clock. 6:52. Dipper quickly shut off the blacklight and laid back in bed. "Nobody. Just go back to sleep Mabel" Dipper said, wiping the tears from his face before Mabel saw.

Mabel shrugged her shoulders and flipped back over. She knew her brother was hiding something. _Let him have his fun she_ thought _, Ill find out soon enough_.

They both were about to nod off when they heard a loud horn from outside the shack.

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An ear-piercing screech came from the grinding brakes in Bud's car. It was late at night, but they had finally made it to the Tent of Telepathy. "What exactly are you looking for Sammy?" Bud asked earnestly. Samson slowly got out of the car, eyeing the place before stating "Im looking for a possession of Gideon's, but I have no clue as to where it is".

"Well Gideon always kept his toys in his room, but I doubt you'd be looking for those. Sammy, can I ask, what's this all about anyway? What are you trying to do?"

 _Why, always with so many questions…_ Samson thought. "This is to save your son. I told you that already."

Bud grimaced. His concrete trust in Samson was slowly thinning by the hour. Why did he always have to be so damn shady? The man obviously had his reasons, but Bud was starting to feel more like a tool than a friend…

"Bud, I need you to tell me something. The lockbox that Gideon found the journal in… what did you do with it?"

Bud stiffened. It still shocked him at everything that Samson knew, but Bod was a simple man, and eventually he didn't question it. " The lockbox… I hid it. It's behind the house in the woods a ways. I can show you" he replied.

Samson smiled at him, then nodded his head in approval to lead the way. Bud walked them around the tent, almost having forgotten what the place looked like since he spent the last week at the Diner. But he would never forget where the box was, under the same cursed tree he'd found it.

It took them about ten minutes to get to their destination, all the while Samson couldn't stop looking over his shoulder.

"Don't cha worry Sammy. The only things out here that want to hurt you… are the trees".

Samson was on full alert the entire time, Until finally the rusty metal box came into view.

Samson smiled "Any chance you have the-" He started before Bud put a hand on his shoulder, and handed him a shiny metal key.

Samson finnicked with the lock for a second before it came off smoothly. Samson opened the lid, and an even bigger smile formed on his face. There, lying inside, were the broken shards of Gideon's Mystic amulet, next to a photograph of Mabel pines. "Thank you so very much Bud" Samson said, contemplating whether or not to let him go. But Samson was in a giving mood that evening.

On the way back however, Samson still couldn't help but constantly look over his shoulder. He knew it was just his imagination, but he could have sword he was being watched; as if there were eyes everywhere. He cautiously made his way back to the Tent, where Bud graciously allowed him to spend the night.

"I truly appreciate this Bud. Tomorrow morning, we're going to get your son back"

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It was way too early to be doing this, but Samson couldn't wait. At 6:30 sharp he got up and had Bud take him up to the Mystery Shack. Bud was feeling excited and nervous at the same time. He never liked the Pines family, but if Samson said they could help, he was more than willing to go along. Samson was practically giddy the entire ride there, something Bud had not seen in him.

Once they got to the driveway, Samson practically punched the steering wheel horn. THAT got everyones attention, Enough to have Ford poke his head out of the window with nothing but his underwear and a .50 caliber sniper rifle.

"YOU HAVE FIVE SECONDS TO ERASE YOURSELVES FROM EXISTANCE BEFORE I DO IT FOR YOU" Ford yelled down to them. Samson casually stepped outside the car while Bud B-lined to the nearest tree. "Hey Fords, long time no see!" Samson called up, "Can I talk to you all for a minute?"

"Samson… I swear to God… I will be there on your deathday, putting a bullet between your eyes." Ford replied.

"Love you too Buddy!" Samson said with a cocky smile, "Now, if you don't mind, we need to call a family meeting".


	9. It All Comes Together

Hey guys, TheTrueAmerican here. I really don't like pushing these, but please **Review or comment**. Anything is useful, be it an idea or just something supportive. I would really appreciate it. Anyway, Enjoy!

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Sam was over the moon. Phase one of his plan was nearly finished, Phase two was soon underway. He just needed to finally win over their trust. _Which isn't going to be easy…_ Samson realized. Still, he wasn't exactly in a rush, he was simply too excited to waste another minute. _This will all be for nothing if they tear it all down…_ He sighed. He was right, of course. He took a deep breath, trying to lower his heart rate, then sat back down in the car and waited.

He peered to his left, and quite nearly burst out laughing. His companion Mr. Gleeful was cowering behind a tree trunk, holding a branch in a futile attempt at a blunt weapon. It then occurred to Samson that Bud had never met Ford before, so this must have been quite the shock. He turned as he heard the doorknob turn. Standing there was the entire pines family, dressed, attentive, and armed. Samson coolly stepped out of the car, and Dipper choked and dropped his golf club "S-Samson?" he stammered.

"Wait, this is Samson?" Mabel asked, still holding onto her grappling hook. Dipper practically ran up in his face. "WHERE WERE YOU!? You said you would meet us back at the shack YESTERDAY! YOU WEREN'T THERE WHEN I NEEDED-"Dipper shouted before stopping himself.

"I know Dipper. I'm sorry. There were people I needed to find, things I needed to get" _which wasn't exactly lying, but I'm not telling him I got lost_ Samson said to himself. He got on one knee and placed a hand on his shoulder. "But I'm here now. And I can help you. I swear". Dipper sighed. He couldn't stay angry at Samson, not when he needed his help the most.

"Ok…" Dipper replied solemnly. Stan and Mabel simply stood there, mouths agape, while Ford stayed behind them looking generally annoyed. "Can someone, anyone, explain to me what just happened?" Stan asked. Ford spoke up; "Everyone, This is Samson. He's an interdimensional traveler with a knack of pissing off anyone he meets" He said glaring.

"You're too kind" Samson said with his cocky smile back again. "BUD! You can come out now! Everyone here is most likely not going to kill you!" He said encouragingly. Bud stepped out slowly, still clutching his branch for dear life. "Gleeful!? What the hell is he doing here?" Stan interjected. "I'm sorry Stanford. Sammy needed my help. I came because he asked me to"

Samson grimaced at the continued use of his nickname, but Mable giggled. "Actually Bud, his name is Stanley. That's Stanford" He said motioning in Fords location.

Stan blinked. "Friend of yours poindexter?" he asked. "Samson and I are NOT friends" Ford replied harshly. "Just do what you came to do, and leave Gravity Falls when you're done."

"Grunkle Ford, that's no way to treat a houseguest!" Mabel perked up. "Come on, I'll show you around while Grunkle Stan makes breakfast" she said, walking up to Samson and grabbing his hand. "Wait, But-" Dipper started, but Mabel was already pulling him inside. _I have to talk with him, privately_ Dipper realized. For now though, he and Bud were already trailing inside.

"Uh, ooookkkaaaaay…" Stan said curiously, before heading back inside and starting on some pancakes. Ford was suspicious as ever, but he needed to keep his opinions to himself for the moment. He needed to find out exactly what were Samson's intentions.

It didn't take him long to find out either. Once they were all sat down, it didn't take long for the conversations to start flying. Mabel's mouth was running a mile a minute, asking about the latest fashion in other dimensions. Dipper and Bud were almost silent the entire time, Dipper occasionally picking at his food, while Bud was on his second or eighth helping. Ford and Stan were occasionally eyeing each other, constantly wondering whether this man proved to be of any harm to the kids or the family. Soos was asleep on the couch, completely unphased by the commotion going on in the other room.

Samson was actually enjoying all the questions for once, because they weren't involving his mission or his motives. He humored Mabel for a long while before finally speaking up. "Pines, I know how much I am a cause of concern for you. I want you to know that I pose you neither harm nor ill will. I will, however, be doing things that you won't likely approve of, but I need you to be okay with that, for all our sakes. Now there are thing I must know, Stanford, did you keep the adhesive separate like I asked?"

Ford looked increasingly annoyed, but grumbled out "Yes". "Splendid…" Sam smiled, "Now I need some help. Dipper, would you be willing to accompany me in private for a moment?"

Dipper lit up, this was what he was waiting for, but his Grunkles just as soon gave Samson the death glare. "Guys, guys, its okay. I'll be back before you know it" Dipper said. Stan sighed, "If you hurt one hair on his head-". "-I'll be erased from existence, yes your brother made that very clear." Samson finished, looking at Ford. "I have no intention of harming him, I just need his assistance. Dipper, grab the adhesive, and bring me somewhere private if possible".

Dipper led Sam up to his room. Samson eyed the walls a bit, taking in the scene. _Just like how I remember it_ he thought to himself. He walked around the room a bit, before flicking on the blacklight on Dipper's nightstand. "NO WAIT DON'T-"Dipper started, but it was too late. Samson saw everything. Although, surprisingly, he didn't seem too phased by it. He seemed calm, understanding. He scowled to himself. "I was afraid this might happen" He said. Dipper was shocked. "Wait, you know… what's wrong with me?" He asked almost pleading.

"Not exactly, but I have a pretty good idea" Samson admitted. He needed the boy to trust him; he wasn't going to do that with false hope. "I also may have a way to cure you. But I'm going to need your help". Dipper was ready for anything. "First, I'm going to need the adhesive" Dipper nodded and handed him the vial and a small paintbrush. "Good idea, I like your thinking kid" Samson said. Dipper smilded, and sat down on his bed. Samson then took some things out of his jacket pocket, a piece of chalk, and the amulet shards.

"Wait, are those… Is that Gideon's amulet?" Dipper asked with worry in his voice. "Yep" was all Sam replied with, drawing a small circle on the floor. "That's why you needed Bud…" Dipper realized. "Mmhmm" Samson replied, taking the paintbrush in hand. He took the next few seconds carefully applying the adhesive to each piece, gluing them back into their original form. Dipper cringed, the last time he had seen that amulet, It was with a pair of shears at his neck.

But now, the amulet was dead, lifeless. It was just a piece of glass in his hand. Samson carefully placed the amulet inside the circle, closed his eyes, and began to speak.

"Visionibus sanguine os intrat memoriae inveniam viam disiunctum suo fonte fatiscere dirigendos pedes nostros oculum" suddenly the amulet glowed a brilliant blue, as did Samson's eyes. Dipper yelped and fell back, but couldn't break his gaze away from what was happening in front of him. Eventually, Samson closed his eyes as he reached out and held the glowing mystic amulet, until the intense energy from both of them cooled down. He slowly opened his eyes, showing they were normal once again, but the amulet in his hand was now pulsating with power. Samson stood to his full height, gazing into the amulet.

"It's time."


	10. Mind Over Matter

Dipper suddenly started spasming uncontrollably on the bed. Samson looked up in fear, he hadn't expected this, and if the Grunkles found out they would have his head on a platter. He rushed to Dipper's side, quickly securing him to the bedposts. It almost looked like a sacrifice. He took a deep breath. _Well, this is a good chance to test out the amulet…_ he thought. He took the glowing blue orb, and held it to the shaking Dipper's forehead. Samson closed his eyes, attempting to open himself to Dipper's psyche.

Suddenly a vision of a black slit eye violently forced him out of the mental link. Samson blinked. That was certainly **not** supposed to happen. His tone turned very serious. He was going to find out exactly what was wrong, and helping out Dipper was a bonus as well. Again, he placed the stone on Dippers forehead, now prepared for the mental block. After forcing his way past it, Samson opened his eyes. He was in Dipper's mindscape. All around him he could see memories, feelings, ideas, dreams. Dreams… These didn't look like normal dreams. They were to crisp and sharp to be mere dreams. They seemed more like memories…

Samson couldn't help looking around. Dipper's mindscape was unnaturally tangled, with pictures and images that shouldn't be there. All at once, Sam's suspicions were confirmed. Dipper had entered another mindscape, and he had just accidentally given it full access to Dipper's mind. The violence, the gore, the deceit, the misery, it all came crashing in at once. The only question was how this was possible. How had Dipper possibly managed to become psychically linked? It was only a theory, but it may be possible…. No. Could it? Could Dipper have become connected during his time in the mindscape? It seemed impossible, yet it was the only was Samson saw any of this making sense.

 _This could be perfect_ Samson realized. He began scrolling through all of Dippers mindscape, and there was certainly a lot of it. Thousands of hallways, all leading to all different portions of his mind. Somehow, though, Samson always found what he was looking for right around each corner. Childhood Memories, Best Moments, Crushes… Samson couldn't help himself on that one. He opened the door just a smidge, and as expected, everywhere he looked he saw memories of Wendy Corduroy. He was about to leave when he glimpsed at something he didn't expect. Beyond all the scenes of Wendy, in the very back, he saw a memory. Specifically, a memory of Pacifica Northwest hugging him at the Northwest Mansion. _Dipper Pines you sly dog…_ Sam thought with a smirk on his face.

Sam slowly closed the door, and continued his journey into Dippers mindscape. The farther he went; however, he began noticing more anomalies. _Entanglements of subconscious thought_ he realized. He checked around for a second, making sure he was alone, before trailing the anomalies throughout the corridors. Certain walls would have holes in them, allowing Samson to peer into memories that weren't Dipper's. _Fascinating…_ he thought. With each door he passed, the world became increasingly distorted. He decided to check a few rooms, just to see how bad the link had progressed.

He opened the door nearest him, and smelled the brisk scents of Autumn. God, he hadn't had that since he was a kid. Sam peered inside, and saw a younger Dipper lying on the ground, nose bleeding and crying. There was an older boy standing above him, looking smug and proud of himself. Samson felt the burning urge to walk up and break the kid's legs, but then regrettably remembered that this was simply a memory. He was about to walk away, when a spark caught his eye. Suddenly, the picture changed, it almost seemed to glitch. Now the older kid was the one laying on the floor, blood running from his chest. And there stood Dipper, standing above him, laughing coldly. There was a small pocket knife in his hand, tainted crimson…

Suddenly the door to the memory slammed shut, locking Samson on the other side. He stood there shocked, and then grimaced. This only further confirmed his suspicions. He was angry at the fact that this time, HE was the one with questions no one could answer. _I'm going to have to do this the hard way_ he realized. He continued following the distortion and broken walls until the anomalies started becoming more clustered. _I'm getting closer_ Samson thought. He turned and opened another door, this time seeing today's Dipper sitting on a log, solemn and with a tear in his eye _. This was right after Wendy left him heartbroken_ … he realized. After a minute though, the picture shifted into something that Samson had never expected. Dipper Pines and Pacifica Northwest violently making out in the middle of the forest. This time he swung the door shut himself. "Did not need to see that." He said aloud but still to himself.

Sam actually thought the young Northwest and Dipper made a good pair, but at the moment he was not expecting to run in on that. He was becoming increasingly frustrated, yet intrigued. All signs pointed to one outcome, but he needed to find the source to prove his theory. He slowly continued following the trail of tortured memories, watching as each became intertwined with one equal but opposite. As Samson turned another corner, there it was. The nexus point of all the anomalies. He was impressed; most boys that age were not mentally strong enough to handle this kind of psychic torture. Dipper luckily hadn't gone into a coma, or worse. His continued existence in this realm was proof of that.

Here he stood; where the door was so warped and cracked it was barely recognizable anymore. Samson looked up and saw one word. Fears. The walls were broken and hollow around him. Webbing covered the door, as if a warning never to enter. Samson carefully tore at each strand, eventually ripping off the protective layer, and forcefully pushed the door in. And suddenly, there was a deafening laughing. Maniacal, Dark, Demon like. Not Bill Cipher, but someone… Samson turned and saw Dipper, lying in a large pool of blood. This was more than the dreams he had seen before. This Dipper… was real.

"Enjoy the sights Samson? I know I have! Pine Tree's mind is such a fun ride, isn't it!" Dipper shouted, still staring at the non-existent celling. Samson was taken aback, this wasn't possible. They were within the borders of the shack, no way had Bill invaded Dipper's mind. No, this thing, this wasn't- "You know I can hear what you're thinking right? You're correctamondo, Samson ol' pal, I'm not Bill. Call me Bipper." He said, standing up. Sam could now clearly see the multiple self-inflicted puncture wounds in his body bleeding profusely.

"Y-You aren't real. Not without Bill. You can't be real…" Samson stammered, lost for words. "WRONG! You see, when you're possessed by a demon, you start to question what kind of person you are. And it eats you up inside, you never stop thinking about it. You lose sense on what's real. Start listening to the voices in your head. And you start to wonder…" He said, walking towards Samson, "…Where the child ends… and the Demon begins!" He said, pulling a knife out of his arm and holding it threateningly.

"I'm as real as Dipper himself, and there's NOTHING you can do to stop me from taking full control of MY body!" He yelled. For the first time, Samson didn't know what to do. He ran back to the door, but just like the others, it slammed shut. Only this time, he was stuck inside. "There's no getting out of this _Sammy_ …" Bipper laughed harshly. All of a sudden, Sam's eyes shot open. He slowly reached inside his jacket pocket, and he nearly laughed himself. He pulled out the only thing he had on him: Gideon's Mystic Amulet. Bipper's laughing suddenly stopped, and just as suddenly replaced with anger.

"YOU THINK THAT TOY TRINKET IS GOING TO STOP ME!?" He screamed, rushing at Samson with knife in hand. Sam tightly held the amulet in one hand, and in one swift motion, knocked away Bipper's arm and forced him to the ground. "Get OFF OF ME!" he yelled, with a twinge of fear in his voice. Samson forcibly pressed the amulet into Bipper's forehead, making him scream in pain as it seemed to burn him. "Creatura rectores tenebrarum harum, natus duarum mentium , nec magistrum , i eiciant vos!" Samson yelled. Bipper screamed in agony as he was engulfed in light.

After the intensity died, Samson could see, Bipper was gone. He honestly couldn't believe it worked. Standing there before him was Dipper, normal Dipper, terrified and confused. "S-Samson?" He asked. "W-Whats going on? What happened?" "I'll tell you what happened…" said a voice behind them. Dipper and Sam turned to see another Dipper _, the Dipper from the reverse memories…_ Sam realized. "…You're friend here fixed us. Saved you, more like". He said in a calculated tone. "Wha- Who are you?" Dipper asked. "Isn't it obvious? I'm you, from another dimension. And trust me-" He said looking at Samson, "-I doubt this is the last you'll see of me. I have the feeling we will meet again, hopefully on better terms..." he mused. Samson nodded, albeit awestruck. It really was him.

It all made sense now.

"I'll be taking my leave. If I ever see you again, pray I am alone." He said coldly, stepping into the nearest door. Suddenly the room enveloped the door he had entered, as well as all the anomalies and distortion, until there was nothing there but an empty wall. Saying Dipper was confused would have been the world's largest understatement. Samson smiled, and held out his arm, amulet in hand. "Let's go home". Dipper nodded and took his hand, until once again they were encased in a blinding ray of light.

Samson blinked and opened his eyes. Standing there was Mabel, along with Grunkles Ford and Stan, all holding crossbows directly at his head. Sam would have screamed, If his mouth wasn't gagged. He then realized he was hog-tied to a chair with duct tape, and they all were standing, or at least his attackers were standing, In Ford's basement. _Great,_ Samson thought, _Just another fantastic evening with the Pines family…_


	11. The Prisoner Of My Prisoner

"I don't know if you realize this Samson, but you're already dead. This pre-conceived notion of you being 'alive' at this moment only exists because I waited for you to wake up, to see fear in your eyes before I sent you back to whatever hellhole you crawled out of..." Ford said almost stagnantly. The tone in his voice, the calm collected sham, Samson saw right through it. He had used that tone before, and he knew exactly what it meant. Pure, uninterrupted rage. The kind that drives a man to do things that he would soon regret.

 _Something like murder..._

Sam didn't know how to respond to the situation. Talking himself out of this was impossible, and he doubted very much that Ford would let him live out of the kindness of his heart. _This isn't how its supposed to end..._

Sam swallowed hard. His eyes begged forgivenesses, crying out desperately for an answer. Ford's finger was pressing down on the trigger, a hairline away from firing. For all his worth, Sam honestly saw no way out. He'd come so far, he was so close. _This... This wasn't fair. I'm not ready... I'm not ready to die... not yet..._ He closed his eyes. He couldn't tell if he was delirious or not, but Sam felt a tear welling up in one eye. In spite of what was happening, he almost felt like laughing. _I didn't think I could still do that..._

A part of him was happy that his last thought would be something good. He heaved one last breath, and waited for the shot. Seconds seemed to pass like hours, before Grunkle Ford spoke up. "Goodbye Samson." The arrow was almost faster than the sound. Almost. Sam caught the whisk of the air being pierced, and then nothing.

 _Am... Am I dead?_ He thought. There was nothing around him, the air was silent, and he felt no pain. His journey into the unknown, and he was terrified. There was a slight chill and his body shivered. He thought about shouting into the void before stopping suddenly, realization dawning on him.

 _Wait a minute..._

 _I have a body._

Samson nearly started chocking, having realized he wasn't breathing for several moments. After struggling to regain his composure, he slowly opened his eyes... And was both stunned, shocked, and downright terrified by what he saw. There, hovering in midair, was the barbed arrow, glowing a greenish-blue. Less than an inch or two away from the corner of his eye, quite nearly resting on the side of his nose, Samson was amazed he hadn't impaled himself.

Looking beyond that, he saw the entire Pines family, wide eyed and open mouthed, gazes fixed on something to the side. As he turned his head, Sam couldn't help but go slack-jawed himself. There, standing in the doorway, was none other than Dipper Pines, tightly grasping the mystic amulet...

Samson couldn't decide whether to laugh hysterically or jump for joy and downright hug the boy, if he could have done any of those things. Several moments passed, and Sam almost began to wonder if Dipper had somehow stopped time, before Grunkle Ford found the courage to speak. "Dipper... Why-" he stammered before Dipper shot him a deadly glare. If looks could kill, Ford would have had a heart attack right there on the spot.

Dipper snapped his fingers, and the binds that held Samson tore apart like paper. Sam was completely lost for words, plus the lightheadedness from lack of air and the rate his heart was pumping left him weary and weak, falling back upon the chair unconscious.

"Dipper, he almost-!" Ford pleaded, before Dipper interjected "He saved my life, and I'll be damned before I let you kill him..." Dipper's eyes were glowing, his intensity rising. "You can't just KILL EVERYONE YOU DON'T KNOW FORD! I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR TRUST ISSUES, SAMSON IS A GOOD MAN! He not only saved my life, he saved my soul. And for that, I will NEVER let you hurt him simply because you can't handle letting people in!"

Ford stood there motionless for a long time, struck by Dipper's harshness. He couldn't tell if his nephew was under some sort of influence, be it from Samson or the amulet itself. But either way, it didn't matter. Dipper's words were true, and he knew it. His experiences with Bill left him scarred, both physically and mentally. And with his brother gone and Fiddleford walking out on him, he had no one to depend on when he needed support. He locked himself away, and the one time he ever called out to his brother, he ended up trapped in isolation for thirty goddamn years. "Dipper... I'm... I'm sorry". He said, hanging his head.

Dipper's expression changed from bitter anger to confusion, and then remorse. He slowly opened his hand, letting the amulet fall into his jacket pocket. The fire behind his eyes died, and the arrow fell to the metal floor with a clang.

No one really knew what to do, but Mabel stepped up and hugged Dipper. It was unexpected, but at this point, Dipper felt it almost necessary, and hugged her back. "Hey Dip... You guys are gonna be ok. You have us, and we'll always be here for you. You think I don't hear you talk to yourself at night, or that I don't know all the stuff that goes on in your head..." Mabel started tearing up, much to the shock of Dipper, "But I know. I hear you laughing, but not in the good way... I hear the way you scream names. I know that ever since Bill used you, you haven't been all there... but..." Mabel started crying harder, "But you can't give up! You can't give in to him. No matter what you've done, no matter what you think you are, you're a good person! Dipper... Please... I need you to believe me... To trust me..."

Dipper couldn't take it anymore. He held her tightly, "Always. I'm... I'm safe Mabel. Because of him. Sam used the amulet; to rid Bill's influence from me, at least for now. I'm here, all here. And I don't plan on leaving... Ever again".

Mabel's crying became louder, but were now replaced with tears of happiness.

Dipper smiled weakly, "Awkward sibling hug?"

Mabel choked out a laugh, "Awkward sibling hug."

They stayed there for a second, hugging tightly. "Pat Pat" they said in unison.

Dipper was the first to let go. He took a deep breath, and swallowed back tears, as did Mabel. Dipper looked up regretfully at Ford, who in turn avoided his gaze. Dipper breathed hard, and took the mystic amulet in hand, feeling its power again.

He waved his hand across the room, and Samson's limp body began floating in midair. Dipper carefully maneuvered him into the elevator, stepping inside himself. Mabel rushed to his side, and pressed the button to take them back up to the shack.

As the metal doors closed, Ford heaved out a hefty sigh. He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned around to see that, of course, it was Stanley. "You know what Poindexter..." Stanly began. Ford was ready for the ridicule and reprimands, "...you did good". Ford blinked. That certainly wasn't what he was expecting "Wh... How can you say that? After what just happened... What I was about to do..." "Sixer, you just said the words 'I'm sorry'. I don't think I've ever heard you say those words before. You fu- you screwed up pretty bad. Made a bad call, and you owned up to it. I'm proud of that".

Ford could barely look Stan in the eye. "Stanley, be honest with me... Am I a bad person?" He asked. "Yes" Stanley replied with no hesitation, "You're a despicable human being with little to no care for others, and I constantly feel like socking you in the jaw. But even so, I love you. And I think that you're trying to do better. I can see it how you act with those kids. That's all anyone can ask" he said in a gruff but caring tone, "...Shermie would be proud of you".

Ford didn't respond. He had no idea HOW to respond. After Stanley left to make Dinner, Ford spent the night in the basement, thinking of everything that had happened. His brother said he was proud of him, so why did he feel so guilty? He still felt like the mystery behind the man was too big to be based on faith. But maybe... Just maybe he could take a chance. Put his trust in his nephews hands.

But he couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong with Samson. The way he strung his words, certain mannerisms, they just seemed... Off. Hours after everyone was fast asleep, Ford headed upstairs to the twin's room. There, he found on Dipper's nightstand what he was searching for: Journal 3. He quietly opened it, quickly skimming through his old pages, making note of the valuable additions Dipper had made to his original findings. He flipped to the end of the book to the first blank page he could find. He took a pen out of his pocket and wrote at the top of the page: 'Creature #472: Samson Chains'.


	12. Everything Old Is New Again

Morning rose, and Mabel couldn't wait to get out of bed. There were so many things she needed to talk about; of course the man sleeping on the dusty sofa downstairs, but also about preparations for their 13th birthday party. Mabel shot out of bed, ready to take on the day, when she noticed Dipper sleeping soundly next to her. She honestly couldn't remember the last time she had seen Dipper sleep so peacefully. In fact, she could barely remember seeing Dipper _sleep_. He always seemed so tense in the mornings, and he was always on high alert. It scared her sometimes.

But right now, in this moment, she stood and looked at the small smile on Dipper's face. The boy who felt nothing... was happy. No more nightmares. No more tears. Mabel couldn't help but kiss the tips of her fingers, and touch the ends to the birthmark on Dipper's forehead. She felt so happy, so thankful, that she nearly squealed in joy, but stayed quiet as much as she could. _I hope you stay like this forever..._ Mabel thought, _And one day, I'm going to make it up to Sammy..._ She giggled to herself at his nickname. _It's kind of adorable considering how handsome he_ \- Mabel thought before stopping herself. _No. No Mabel. Bad. Not getting involved in this. Not getting involved in him..._ She mused, before quietly tiptoeing down the stairs to get a peak at their sleeping houseguest.

 _Why did he have to be so damn perfect_... She wondered. _He's too old for you. It would be like Dipper and Wendy... But hey. A girl can dream right?_ She asked herself. She quietly strolled to the kitchen to grab a drink of water, before she heard shuffling and muttering. She carefully looked around the corner, and saw her Uncle Ford frantically writing in his journal. _God, does that guy ever sleep!?_ Mabel thought frustrated.

Ford knew perfectly well of Mabel's audience, but decided to ignore her. He was to busy with his own findings. He had four pages filled out on Samson, and was in the middle of the fifth when Mabel showed up. He thought it kind of cute that she thought she was hidden, what with the bright pink pajamas and whatnot poking out the side of the door. He was slightly curious as to why she was up to early, but it needn't concern him. He preferred Mabel to stay away from his work, and slowly pull Dipper in further. He didn't know whether what had transpired had been a boon or a bane for his plan to work, but that could be dealt with at another time.

Ford had spent the night thinking about Stanley's words. The absolute lack of second thoughts as to Fords morality. Had he really become so blind? There were not many things that Ford could have used to argue with. During his entire time in Gravity Falls, not once had he ever called his brother except to send him as far away as possible. Never sought after him when their father kicked him out of house and home. And now, thirty years later, he was no different. Casting his brother out once the summer ended, taking away everything he had worked towards all this time. The anger, the rage. The lies and deceit. The betrayal and backstabbing...

It was all forgiven.

That was the bullet to the heart. The one mystery Ford would never be able to solve. Had things been reversed, Ford had no doubt he would have left Stanley stuck in that portal. Not only had his brother gone to hell and back to save him, the first thing Ford had done was punch him right in his face. God, I am a monster... Ford thought to himself. He shook his head and adjusted his glasses, trying to focus on his writing. _There is not much for certain that I can say so far about this man, except for the fact that he possesses more knowledge of the alternate dimensions and timelines than I ever did. Attempts at peacefully interrogating Bud Gleeful for information have yet to provide answers, may need to advance. Organic tissue samples in testing. My nephew has placed his trust in him, will have to watch closely..._ He ended.

He closed the book and got up to make breakfast, only to hear the pitter-patter of socks dash away. He smiled to himself at his niece, he'd have to teach her a thing or two about stealth and tactics. With that grappling hook, he figured she could be a natural. He looked over to where Samson was sleeping restlessly. He's going to need something to gain his strength after what I pulled... Ford realized. He took a can of chicken soup and dumped it into a pot, before grabbing his blowtorch and going to work. Soon enough, the smells of hot cooking flooded the house, slowly getting everybody out of bed. He first saw Mabel, acting as if she had just arrived.

"Oh hey Grunkle Ford, that smells fantastic! Do you have enough for everyone? I'm starving!"

"Oh, uhh... Yes. Yes I do" Ford said. He'd only made enough for Samson and himself, but there was plenty more for the rest of the family. "Mabel, would you mind waking Samson for me? We need to talk."

Mabel felt her cheeks flush, but composed herself. "Sure thing Grunkle Ford, just please don't shoot him this time..." She said as she walked of into the living room. She sat down in front of Sam and stared into his closed eyes. She took a breath, and then spoke "Sammyyyy... Sammyyyy..." She said still laughing to herself. His name fit him well. Samson was strong, powerful, but Sammy was kind. Sam turned over, muttering to himself, "God shut it Gleeful..."

"Not quite, handsome..." Mabel whispered to herself, but still barely within Samson's earshot. His eyes shot open at what he'd just heard, and was thankful he was facing away from her. _Well, this may be interesting_... He mused. He feigned tossing over in his sleep, opening his eyes slowly in Mabel's view as so she didn't assume he had heard her.

"Ma... Mabel? What are you doing here?" He asked in a practiced tired voice. "Oh, you know, enjoying the smells, the sounds, the sights..." She trailed off. She jerked alert realizing what she had just said. "Uh, Grunkle Ford wants to talk with you" she stammered.

Sam perked up at that. "Tell you're Grunkle I've had quite enough of his hospitality..." He said frustrated. "Well then you wouldn't mind if I ate this soup all by myself!" Ford called from the kitchen. It was then that Sam caught the aroma, his stomach growling and mouth watering. He cursed himself for his vulnerability, but slowly rose to his feet, albeit painfully. He then sat down at the kitchen table with Mabel sitting next to him. Ford came around with a few steaming bowls of soup, that Samson started on almost immediately, ignoring the slight burning pain.

The sounds of feet stepping soon entered the room, and Dipper and Stan sat down happily alongside them. Dipper stretched and smiled, that was easily the best he'd slept in weeks. Stan was eyeing Ford, but giving him a thumbs up to the side. Once Ford had served everyone, excluding Bud and Soos, who Ford had told to guard for the night, he sat down and took a spoonful. It was hot and a little salty, but otherwise perfect.

He sighed. _This isn't going to be easy, even less so with everyone here._ Nonetheless, It had to be done. "...Samson..." He began. Everyone stopped and looked at Ford while Sam simply sat there staring coldly. "...I'm sorry... for trying to... remove you..." He said. He looked at Stan, who in turn gave him the _aannnddd_ look. "...and I wanted to thank you, for saving Dipper's life". He looked at his brother, who at the moment smiled at him in a way that let him know, he did the right thing.

Samson look turned to heartfelt appreciation. "Coming from you, I know that means the world..." He said, extending one hand. Ford sighed, but smiled, and held the handshake. Sam smiled warmly, "You truly don't know what that means to me. We have a very big day ahead of us... But I'm getting ahead of ourselves. Here comes the part where you regret that handshake..." Sam started with his signature cocky smile. Ford grimaced, _here it comes..._

"Now that everything is in place again, It's time to reactivate the universe portal". He said slowly, waiting for Ford's reaction.

Ford was still annoyed at Samson for everything, but he knew that was coming. It was one of the very few things he did know about Sam's plans.

"Where do we start?" He asked, still vexed and frustrated.

Samson was surprised, yet thankful of Ford's understanding, "That depends. Stan, where are we on actual fuel for the device?" Sam replied looking at Stan's direction.

Stan looked up from his soup, realizing then that everyone was staring at him. "Well, not enough to open a gateway, but enough to get it jump started while I go get more. You're buddy Flannelbird has a stupid amount of electric material he uses on his projects, so I'll make a run and borrow some from him. Wish I'd known about that before I was almost put in federal prison" he laughed to himself.

"It's Fiddleford..." Ford said under his breath.

Mabel sprang up in excitement, "That means you can spend the whole day with us!" She beamed, only then realizing she was a bit too enthusiastic. She quietly slunk back into her chair, before Samson replied, "You know, that sounds like a great idea..."

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[AN: let me know if I should go deeper into Sam and Mabel's relationship, as of right now there's no fluff, but I may be persuaded]


	13. The Things We Do For Love

Samson wasn't too keen on large crowds, but somehow the twins convinced him to spend a day in town with them while Stan was busy working on the universe portal. After breakfast, Dipper and Mabel ran up to their rooms to get ready, while Sam took the elevator back down to the basement. Dipper put on his signature hat, and dressed in a nice collared shirt and pants.

"What's the occasion?" he heard Mabel say behind him.

"Oh you know, just want to look presentab-"he said before catching eye of Mabel. Adding the finishing touches, Mabel was wearing a stunning deep violet dress with crescent moons adorning it, as well as knee-high stockings and her pink headband to complete the look. _Holy mother of…_

Mabel blushed when she saw Dipper standing there speechless. "What do you think…?" she said sheepishly. Dippers brain was struggling to find words. "Wha-Why-You look-What are you wearing?" he said finally. Mabel looked crushed, "Is it terrible? I look stupid, I'm sor-" She said before Dipper interjected.

"Mabel, I have never seen you look so beautiful in your entire life…" He said honestly. Mabel coughed out a small laugh, but then found herself unable to wipe her smile off her face. "Seriously though, why are you wearing that?" Dipper asked.

Mabel giggled. "As you said… just want to look presentable…"

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Downstairs, Samson was desperately trying to convince Soos to let Bud out of his cell. "I told you sir; Mr. Pines said not to let you in here" Soos said frustrated _. I swear to god I will blow your goddamn brains out…_ Samson thought, but kept his composure.

"Very well, I commend you on OH MY GOD WHAT IS THAT!?" Samson said franticly pointing behind Soos. In turn, Soos whipped around, only to feel a sharp pain in his back, and fell to the floor unconscious. Samson smiled, admiring the Taser in his hands. _Ol' Fordsy sure does love his toys..._ he mused, stepping over the large sleeping man. "Sorry it had to be this way my friend…" he thought aloud, removing the prongs out of Soos' back "…but I made a deal. And I _never_ break my deals…"

Sam opened the door to see Bud Gleeful sitting handcuffed to a table. "Sammy!? Oh thank the lord; you need to get me out of here. That man is insane!" Bud said panicked. "Don't have to tell me twice…" Samson said, removing the mystic amulet out of his jacket pocket. _So nice of Dipper to leave this on the table_ … Sam thought. Bud visibly tensed at seeing the amulet in Samson's hands. Sam snapped his fingers, and the metal handcuffs ripped themselves apart.

"You need to leave. Right now" Sam said. "I'm right behind you Sammy…" Bud replied nervously. Sam closed his eyes, focusing on the amulet's power. When he opened them again, Bud saw the all too familiar blue fire behind them. "Stand aside…" Samson said ominously. Bud ducked underneath the table, and Sam raised his arm up, before twisting his hand slowly.

All of a sudden, the wall opened up, and the earth and rock subsided, creating a large tunnel. "Go" Samson said darkly. Bud took the hint, and ran down the open path. Sam shifted his arm again, and the entrance collapsed upon itself, reverting to normal once again. _Keep going until you reach the surface. Wait for me at the Diner_ … Sam said, projecting his thoughts to Bud.

"Things are starting to get interesting…"

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Sam peaked out the elevator door, making sure he wasn't followed. Sighing out a breath, he headed to the living room, where Ford and the twins were waiting. He couldn't help but notice that their attire was out of the ordinary, Mabel's especially. "Sammy! What took you so long, we were waiting for like ever!" She said. _Bud Gleeful when this is over I am going to kill you…_ Sam thought to himself, but smiled. "Sorry about that, had a few things I needed to do… loose ends to wrap up…" He replied. Ford eyed him suspiciously, but Mabel beamed, "Come on, we don't have all day!" she said.

Dipper and Samson shrugged before following her. It was about a thirty minutes' walk into town, all the while Mabel wouldn't stop asking questions. Sam actually admired the kindred spirit in her. It suited her well, and made her a good counterweight to her jaded brother. "So, what's your favorite flavor?" Mabel asked. Sam wondered if she had made a giant list of questions her head, but answered honestly, "No one's asked me that since I was a kid… but I'd have to say probably vanilla. Short and sweet" He replied.

Dipper was becoming ever suspicious of Mabel's behavior. The way she dressed this morning, her tone of voice, her attitude, it reminded him of Valentine's Day. While always horrible for him, Mabel on the other hand was like a giant boy magnet. _Somethings off..._ he pondered.

As they finally entered town, Samson immediately regretted coming along. The town was bustling and people were everywhere. "What's going on here?" Sam asked. "Didn't you know silly? The town fair is today!" Mable said exited. Samson groaned, "Mabel, I know the past, and how your future can end up _eventually_. Not in few hours…" Sam replied, eyeing the numerous civilians wandering the streets. _I can think of what can happen in a few hours…_ Mabel thought to herself.

Sam couldn't shake his on-edge feeling. As they began wandering the streets, People started to take notice of the newcomer. "Guys, this might not be the best time for me… I have to go real quick I'll be back in a flash…" Sam said before walking behind some buildings, just out of sight. "No wait-" Mabel said, but he was already gone. "Hey Dipper I'll be off to the ladies room, catch you in a sec!" She said before running off as well. Dipper was about to protest, but then realized he was alone in the middle of the street.

 _Oh well, more time for just me I suppose…_ he thought half-heartedly. "Hey, Dipper!" he heard a voice yell. He turned his head to see a flow of blonde hair and expensive fabrics. Dipper perked up, "Oh, h-hey Pacifica. What brings you here?" he asked. "Well, my butler has the day off, so I had to walk myself to the town fair" She said frustrated, "And then I saw you being you socially awkward self, as usual" She said smirking. Dipper frowned, "Well, I came here with my sister, but apparently spending time with her brother isn't good enough…" he replied.

Pacifica let out a small laugh, "I can never imagine why…" she said, clearing her throat. "I actually have something for you, if you happen to be interested…" Pacifica said slowly. That peaked Dipper's interest. "My aunt Silvia is coming from Switzerland to visit tomorrow… and I was wondering If you'd like to come back to the mansion… to make sure nothing paranormal is going on, of course" She stammered. Dipper smiled warmly, accepting the letter. "…Sure, I think I have time" He said happily. "I have to find my sister, but I'll catch you later?" he asked somewhat hopefully". Pacifica laughed, "Definitely".

She waved as Dipper ran off to find Mabel, then finally sighed once he was out of sight. She did it. "Very impressive…" She heard a voice say from behind her. She turned to see a man in dark clothing come out of the alleyway between the buildings. "Who- who are you? What do you want?" Pacifica said angrily. "I'm no one, you however, Ms. Northwest, are. As for what I want, I want a lot of things… but none of which have to do with you I'm afraid" He replied. "However, I do support your interests. And what I just saw was an excellent attempt at asking Mr. Pines out on a date".

Pacifica was dumbfounded, but replied anyway, "I don't know you, and you certainly don't know me, so why don't you back the hell off before I call the police!" She yelled. "You won't do that, because I have something you want. Desperately. Be it his looks, his intellect, or his bravery… one way or another, you have to admit… you like nerd boy" The man said with a cocky smile.

Pacifica didn't know what to say, "So…So what? So what If I like him? He doesn't care… and I don't know why you do. Dipper's a great guy, and you can mind your own damn business!" Pacifica shouted. The man actually laughed at that. "Let me tell you something Pacifica, I carry a lot of weight with Dipper right now. And if you listen to what I have to say, I promise I can make tomorrow night _magical_ " He said. Pacifica could have sworn that his eyes were shining blue, almost as if on fire. "So I'll tell you what Pacifica…" He said, extending out his hand…

 _"…_ _I'll make you a deal…"_


	14. What I Would Pay

**[AN, Please Read: Hey everyone, TheTrueAmerican here! I can't tell you all enough how much your support means to me. I've been getting a lot of requests and story ideas, as well as a couple people left in suspense from the last chapter. Let me tell you a story: Internet is dead for a day, so I get writing. Internet comes back, and I already have a new chapter finished. Granted, this is just an origin story, most of which is simply an novelized canon episode, so I decided to let you all in on a treat. This chapter is free of charge, and wont effect my usual upload speed. Expect the next chapter in 2-3 days. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and this should tide over some of the suspense until the next chapter. PEACE!]**

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Pacifica Northwest hated not being in control. She hated her parents for forcing her selfish and conceited life upon her. She hated the fact that everything she did seemed to be part of someone else's agenda. Just once, she wanted to do something for herself. She wanted to feel free to make her own choices. And then, one day, at the Northwest mansion, fate gave her a chance. The dignitaries and noblemen were dying, a centuries-old specter turning her home asunder. Her father commanded her to leave them, to save themselves, at the expense of all their lives. Of Dipper's life, the person who bravely and selflessly helped her try to defeat this menace. The person who never asked for this life, yet never looked away at helping others. The only person who ever made her feel like she mattered.

Her ancestors left a curse on the family fester for generations out of their own arrogant pride, a tradition that wasn't lost on her parents. Rather than letting the town's folk in and enjoy the party, they had kept the doors locked and the vengeful spirit restless. Pacifica's parents knew it was only a matter of time before things got out of hand, so they forced their daughter to play damsel in distress, and coax the young paranormal fanatic Dipper Pines into aiding them.

Dipper had accepted, of course, but only on the condition that his sister Mabel and her friends attend the party. Pacifica reluctantly agreed, and they met later that night to prepare. Pacifica fixed Dippers coat and tie, much to his annoyance. "Who are you trying to impress anyway?" He asked frustrated. "Everyone. You wouldn't understand..." She replied.

As they made their way up to the grand hall, they could feel the air get colder. Suddenly the fireplace burst into flame, and the taxidermy heads adorning the walls began foaming with blood. "DIPPER!? WHATS GOING ON!?" Pacifica screamed. Dipper could barely find his voice. "...It's a category ten..."

The ghost of a long dead lumberjack barreled out of the fireplace, and the two frantically ducked under the table, barely avoiding his gaze. Suddenly, the table levitated off of them, and the spirit turned and swung with his mighty axe. Dipper and Pacifica barely had time to scream as they ran off, just out of the ghost's reach.

As they hid in one of the storage rooms, Pacifica stopped to catch her breath. Suddenly Dipper shouted at her, and she looked up to see the blue blood, bone, and steel of the specter. Pacifica couldn't move. _So this is how I die..._ She thought. Suddenly, Dipper leapt in front of her, a silver mirror in hand. As the spirit's axe struck the mirror, the force threw them out of the room, through the tinted glass. As they lay in the sodden grass below, Pacifica spoke up, "Did we get him?". Dipper looked into the mirror, and there stood the spirit, angrily banging on the glass.

They both started laughing, and Pacifica couldn't help run up and hug Dipper, much to his surprise. Suddenly realizing what she was doing, she awkwardly backed off. "Umm... can I pay you to pretend that didn't happen..." Pacifica said slowly. Dipper simply smiled at her, to which Pacifica smiled back.

As the night progressed, Dipper was forced to say farewell. "Wait... You're leaving already? You're at the worlds best party dummy..." Pacifica said with sarcastic concern. Dipper let out a small laugh, "I'd love to stay, but I've got a category 10 ghost to dispose of..." He said before walking directly into a wall. "Hehe... Category 10" he repeated, trying to play it off smoothly, forcing a laugh out of Pacifica.

Pacifica never knew what happened, but a few minutes later, the specter stormed through the doors into the ballroom. There was screaming and yelling, and all Pacifica could do was run and hide. Dipper found her, and they sat alone in a room for a long while. Tears were shed, and terrible secrets revealed. But Dipper never paid of any mind. "Pacifica, I was wrong about you. You're nothing like your parents" Dipper said honestly. Pacifica looked at him tears eyed but smiling.

Dipper and Pacifica ran out into the main room, only to find it turned into a terrarium-like forest, with all the attendees turned to wooden statues. Pacifica shrieked and ran, but Dipper confronted the ghost, only to be frozen himself. Pacifica turned, only to see a look of pure terror seared into his face.

Seeing him standing there, wooden and lifeless, it was the last straw. Glaring at her arrogant, selfish parents, she opened the gates to the town. In a single act, Pacifica put the spirit to rest, and saved the lives of everyone inside. It took everything in her not to hug dipper and cry right at that moment. However, her father, the insane bureaucrat that he was, had the nerve to reprimand her on her actions. It was at that moment that Pacifica knew, she would never be a Northwest. Not in name, but in character. She was disgusted with her family, and she'd had enough.

As the town's folk trashed her house, she and Dipper stood alone, talking about what had happened. Pacifica was angry, with her parents, with herself. "Hey, look where you're standing..." Dipper said. She looked down to see the large puddles of mud under her boots, and a devious smile formed on her face. They laughed and kicked mud around, topping over the punchbowl, losing themselves in the moment. As she looked over at the boy in coat and tie, Pacifica felt a strange warm feeling in her heart. Something that she hadn't felt in a really long time.

And as much as she would never admit it out loud, Pacifica came to a dawning realization;

 _I love Dipper Pines..._

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She knew why she'd taken the deal. It seemed like the only way at the time. She hated when things weren't in her control, and Dipper had his sights set on that Wendy girl. It wasn't fair, It wasn't right...

But then that man gave her the deal of a lifetime.

 _"It can be all yours Pacifica. Just call it a deal..."_ He had said. She knew when a man had his own angles to work, and this man put the shade in shady, but she was desperate. _"Deal"_ she had replied, taking his hand firmly. A devious smirk crossed his face, and the blue flame behind his eyes seemed to glow brighter.

 _"You have nothing to worry about. By tomorrow night, Dipper Pines will know where his heart lies..."_ He said, _"But know that when the day is done... I intend to collect my debts"_

Pacifica didn't know how to respond, so she simply nodded. The man silently walked back into the dark alley, leaving Pacifica alone. She then realized that the man had left a small piece of paper in her hand. She opened it slowly, reading to herself;

 ** _My Name Is Sam_**

Pacifica sat on her bed that night, still staring at the piece of paper. It was the only proof she had that what had happened that afternoon was actually real. She kept playing his words over in her head. They seemed so surreal, It felt more like lucid dreaming than a conversation. She had no idea whether or not this man could do what he claimed, but at this moment, she didn't care.

 _But if he can do it... Are you willing to pay that price?_ She wondered to herself. It had seemed so insignificant at the time, but now, Pacifica didn't know. _Guess you'll just have to find out..._ She thought regretfully.

That night, Pacifica dreamed about her and Dipper, dancing across the ballroom, laughing and smiling. She pictured kissing him deeply, and spending the rest of the night together in each other's arms. The only thing that made her uneasy, was that even in a dream, she felt like she was being watched.


	15. Revelations

**[AN: Sorry guys hate doing this on two chapters in a row, but there are things I need to say. Thank you all SO MUCH for the insane support of this story, I never thought it would do as well as it is, and you all are to thank for that. I wanted to recognize all the amazing people who have been there time and time again:** **UNICORNBILLCIPHER** **,** **LeelaSmall** **,** **MandoCommander** **,** **thomaspheasent** **, and Mabel Pines the Fabulous, as well as the people whose stories inspired me to write my own, ****Wolfan Terror** **,** **fangirlanddotaku** **, and** **Angelia Dark** **. Thank you everyone for your incredible support, and I hope you enjoy! THANK YOU!]**

 _Where is he!?_ Mabel screamed internally. It had been nearly twenty minutes since Samson had decided to leave them in the middle of the road, nowhere to be seen of course. She couldn't help herself from running through the streets, getting startled expressions from the pedestrians. "…Sam!" Mabel called out, only to be drowned away in the bustling crowds. Mabel couldn't tell for sure, but she could feel her eyes start to get a little watery. _Why would he just leave us like that?_ She thought sadly.

 _God, what's wrong with me? Why can't I get him out of my head? I just… I like him… but why do I feel so bad right now…?_ She wondered, tears forming in her eyes. Mabel couldn't take more worried looks from the passerbyers, so she covered her glistening face and ran behind the wall of the nearest building. Once out of sight, Mabel couldn't help but start to feel the tears fall down her cheeks. _How could he do this? Just abandon us, abandon me…_ she cried.

"Mabel!" She heard a desperate voice call out only a few minutes later. She immediately looked up from her ruined dress and to see Dipper standing in front of the house, staring at her. He rushed to her side, noticing the tears streaming her face and the dirt on her clothes. "Mabel, **What. Happened.** You've… you've been acting really weird lately, and I was concerned about you earlier, but this… what caused this..?" He asked worriedly.

Mable coughed out a sob, and buried her face in her hands _. I have to tell him now… he won't accept anything else…_ she said to herself. "Mabel, why-"Dipper said before Mabel yelled, "I LIKE HIM OK?" she said, sobbing once again. "I like him… Sam… I like him…" she repeated in a much quieter voice. Dipper was speechless. It explained everything that he had been thinking about, but he would have never expected this. Not now…

"Mabel… I'm… I'm sorry. I didn't know" Dipper replied slowly. Mabel sniffled, "I know Dip. Neither did I, really. I'm such an idiot" she said regretfully. "Hey, no you aren't, why would you ever say that?" Dipper asked.

"Because… Because I know how things ended up with you and Wendy. And I knew Sam and I would be the same… and I went and fell for him anyway…" Mabel hung her head, "And now he's gone. He left us Dipper, with no good reason…" she replied somberly. Dipper didn't speak. He couldn't speak. He knew exactly what it was like to love someone who you knew you could never be with.

He quietly sat down next to her, and they spent a long while simply sitting in the silence. Dipper saw the look on Mabel's face, the same look he had sitting on that log. It broke his heart again simply seeing her like this. "Hey... Mabel..." he said softly. "What...?" She replied, barely looking at him.

"I know how much this hurts right now. He left you, alone. I know how much it hurts that he barely notices you, that he had something to do that was more important than spending time with us..." He told her, bringing a soft whimper from Mabel, "...But this isn't the end of the world. Yet. You still have time to be with him, to enjoy each other's company, If you truly care about him that much. Things between me and Wendy... are ok. Even after everything, we're still great friends. And you know how much that kills me sometimes. But... you can't force people to love you. All you can do is... try to be somebody worth loving..." He said wholeheartedly.

Mabel looked up, tears dripping down her face once more, but now no longer for herself. She closed her eyes and threw her arms around her brother, much to his surprise. "Dipper... I'm sorry. I was so selfish, I-" Mabel cried, before Dipper returned the hug tightly. "I'm always here for you Mabel. And you weren't being selfish. If you care about Sam, you have every right to cry over him. I know I have with Wendy a few times..." Dipper said with a small laugh.

Mabel slowly stood up and dusted off her dress. She looked over at Dipper, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Don't worry dipstick... I intend to..." She replied coughing out a laugh with him, "But not right now. The waterworks can come later. Right now... we're at the town fair. We should enjoy it..." She replied somewhat half-heartedly.

Dipper smiled and stood up, giving his sister a hug. "Race you to the ring toss...?" He asked. Mabel actually laughed at that, "You're on!" she relied in her usual enthusiastic attitude. They both laughed and gave each other one last hug, before running off into the town's square.

Little did the twins know, just around the corner behind them, stood Samson. He had sought after the twins after his deal was done, only to find them sitting beside a house. He stood silently, and heard every word. _This... This can work..._

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Sam walked slowly back to the Shack, thinking over what Mabel had said. _The girl has feelings... for me? Didn't think anyone in existence was capable of feeling for someone like me..._ Samson thought to himself. He wandered through the forest, only half focused on where he was actually going. _The people here sure are full of surprises, aren't they?_ he mused, _desperation can really bring out the emotions in others..._

Samson sat down at the trunk of a woodland tree, looking at his surroundings. The air was fairly still, but the gentlest of breezes sent whispers through the forest. The woods smelled of pine and sap, and the grass beneath him was smooth to the touch. He breathed out a sigh. _I missed this..._

But then the air started to shift, and it became noticeably darker. Samson frowned, _it's not even close to dusk..._ he said to himself. Suddenly, all at once, Sam could notice every crack and knot of every tree. They all seemed to be staring at him somehow.

Samson gasped, just before hearing all too familiar laughter echoing through the trees. He shot up and turned frantically, looking in all directions. But it didn't matter. _He_ _was already everywhere_.

"Well. Well. Well. My dear old Sam... Welcome home…" Samson heard the chilling voice. He turned around, and behind him stood, or rather floated, the all-seeing eye. The demon himself... Bill Cipher.

"GET OUT OF HERE CIPHER!" Samson yelled to the floating triangle. He knew that he had no power over Bill in this realm, but he wouldn't allow himself to be intimidated. "Whoa there Sam, buddy, is that any way to greet a friend?" Bill asked. Samson knew that if Bill had a mouth, he'd be smirking right now.

"You can go to hell and back Cipher, but you will never find a friend in me" Sam replied coldly. "Well that sure is unfortunate..." Bill said with feigned disappointment, "...I was hoping to get caught up on old times! How've you been, how's the family? Oh wait..." Bill said laughing maniacally.

Samson stood there, rage in his eyes. "I am going to kill you..." He replied, the wrath in his tone deadly. Bill continued to laugh, "Oh, I don't think so Sam. In case you've forgotten… I own you". Bill snapped his fingers, and suddenly iron chains shackled him to the floor. "DAMN YOU CIPHER!" Sam yelled.

"My old friend… I already am…" Bill replied softly, "…By the way, I love the little title you've given yourself. 'Samson Chains'. Seems rather fitting, doesn't it?" Bill said with another snap of his fingers, making the shackles tighten to the point they were bruising the skin. "And I don't know what you think you're doing cutting in on my act, but I appreciate the kind gesture…" he spoke as pictures of the deals Sam had made appeared on his body. "I'm so proud of my little protégé" he said in a cocky tone.

"Fuck… You…" Sam replied. "Oh now watch your language" Bill laughed, and with another snap of his fingers, Samson's mouth was sown shut. Sam would have screamed in pain if he could speak. That only made Bill laugh harder.

"You keep playing your mind games Sam. Sooner or later, you'll come back to me. You must know by now…" Bill said as his body turned flaming red and his voice low but demonic, " **You Can Never Beat Me** "

Suddenly Samson's eyes shot open, gasping for breath. It was only then that he realized he was still lying against the woodland tree trunk. He put his hand to his mouth, making sure they were still in two pieces. He breathed out a hefty sigh, before feeling the oh-so-familiar rage. He then spoke in a deathly low voice, "Watch your back Cipher. These chains won't hold me forever…"

And all he could hear was the ringing laughter through the forest.


	16. Deception Is A Man's Best Friend

Samson sat by the tree a long while, pondering his conversation with Bill. _"You Can Never Beat Me"_ he'd said. Sam sighed, He was right. Sam was mortal, and Cipher was an all-powerful demon. He couldn't beat him. _Not yet anyways…_

Sam slowly stood up and rubbed his eyes. He looked up past the tree line, noticing that it almost _was_ dust by now. _God, how long was I out?_ He wondered. He'd have to make sure he was within the Shack's borders before catching some shuteye again. _I'm going to need some help…_ he realized. He then shot his eyes open, remembering something that he had nearly let slip his mind. _Oh… Oh yes..._ Sam thought running back to town.

As he made it to the town's outskirts, he scanned the area, quickly finding where he was looking for. The Diner. He coughed out a sigh of relief, stopping just a moment to catch his breath. He took a peak around, making sure the twins were nowhere near before walking in. Almost immidiatly he heard "SAMMY!" in an overly worried voice, followed by a hug with Bud's meaty hands. Samson groaned. _I really, really hate that nickname…_

"Hello Bud. It's good to see you again…" Sam said, patting him on the back. Bud stood there hugging him for a few more minutes. At this point, everyone had gone back to awkwardly eating dinner. "Sammy, I didn't know what was goin' on, I just high tailed it out of there and headed straight for the diner. Im sorry I left you there alone" Bud said. Sam shook his head as they made their way to Bud's table.

"It's okay Bud. I have everything under control. I just came here to talk…" Samson said carefully, "This has obviously put us at a setback. We won't be able to save Gideon just yet". Bud knowingly nodded his head. He could never expect that from Sammy, not after what had happened. "I'll do my best to get everything secure by tomorrow. In the meantime, I need you to lay low. I'll contact you again when I'm ready" Sam said warily.

Sam couldn't stop looking over his shoulder, just waiting for _someone_ to walk through that front door. Bud noticed his alertness, but remained silent. "Bud, can I ask you a favor?" Sam asked. "Anything" Bud replied earnestly.

Sam frowned. He didn't know what to do at the moment. _I can't say my plans here, to many ears…_ "Bud, I need to borrow your car to the Mystery Shack. Again…" Sam replied. "Sure thing Sammy… just… my car's already at the Shack…"

Sam rubbed the bridge of his nose. Of course the car was still at the shack. Bud had walked here through the tunnel. That was so obvious; it was unlike Samson to miss about something like that. He cursed himself at his forgetfulness, but then Bud stood up.

He walked over to the Diner counter, "Susan, darlin', can we borrow your car for a quick moment? Promise I'll bring it right back…" Bud said to Lazy Susan at the counter. "I have a car?" She asked obliviously. Bud looked over at Sam, giving him a wry smile. Samson's signature smirk returned. _Not bad Bud. Not bad at all…_

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Dipper was happy, for the first time in the last few weeks he could remember. He really could feel it in him, the anger, the fear, it was gone. _All because of Samson…_

He could see why Mabel was so infatuated with him. Dipper had to be honest, the guy was stunningly handsome. His hair and light beard contrasted perfectly with his skin tone, and his clothes had a dark sense of style. _Credit where credit is due_ he supposed.

It took Mabel a few rounds of Bumper Cows and Nyarf Gun fights to get her winning smile back. Dipper was just thankful she was having fun. He'd needed weeks to adjust to the reality that Wendy and him were just in his imagination. Mabel only'd had hours. But he knew exactly what it felt like, and if there was anything he knew for certain in this world, it was how to take care of his sister.

So they played, and laughed, and spent the day together. Mabel felt like she could do anything. _Maybe even get over a teensy weensy super mega crush_ … she thought hopefully. It wasn't until she noticed the time that she called over to Dipper.

"Hey, Dipping sauce. Thanks for the awesome day… but it's about time we head home" She said slowly. Dipper smiled, "Of course, anything for you Mabel. You're my sister, and I love you. I'm always here for you when you need me" Dipper replied. Mabel smiled and hugged him, before loudly saying "Race you to the Shack" in her naturally enthusiastic tone.

Dipper laughed, and ran off with her into the woods. It didn't take them very long at their pace before they arrived at the shack. They then noticed a worn, beat up pickup truck in the parking lot, and Bud Gleeful's car was missing _. Strange…_ Dipper thought _…Stan closed the shack on fair day…_

It wasn't long after they'd stepped on the porch that suddenly the two heard yelling. "YOU BROKE INTO MY LAB AND SHOT OUR HANDYMAN!" They heard Ford screaming. "YOU KIDNAPPED A MAN! AND IT WAS A TAZER!" They heard Sam yell back.

"S-Samson!?" Mabel cried in anger before throwing open the door. The two men stopped in silence once she arrived. "Where. The Hell. WERE YOU!?" Mabel yelled at Samson.

"Breaking into my lab, that's where…" Grunkle Ford replied. Mabel's heartbroken rage was apparent on her face, Dipper reluctant to intervene. Samson glared at Ford, who, while still angry, had the faintest hint of a smirk, feeling victorious for once.

"You call it breaking in, I call it breaking out! He held Bud Gleeful here, against his will, interrogating him about me" Sam replied. Suddenly the tension in the room shifted, and Ford could feel the twin's eyes staring into him. _Oh… Bad Move…_ Ford realized.

"Is… Is that true..?" Dipper asked, hurt in his eyes. "Dipper it's not what you-"Ford stammered. "NO GRUNKLE FORD, I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS!" Dipper yelled.

"Sam… you… you left to save your friend?" Mabel asked. "Yes, yes I did…" Sam regretfully lied, "Sorry about Soos. His undying loyalty is admirable, but he was sent _by Ford_ to make sure I didn't free Bud" he replied.

Ford's face was red enough to put a ripe tomato to shame. From what, exactly, he didn't know. Hatred. Shame. Regret? No… maybe. "It was for the best!" He persisted. "…You don't get to make that decision anymore" Dipper replied, his voice seething with rage.

The tension on the room could bend steel, only to be short-lived by a loud car horn. As the four turned their heads, Samson slowly walked up and opened the front door... only to see Stanley driving a moving van. "How… where did he get that…?" Sam asked.

"…Probably best we don't ask" Dipper replied. Sam slowly nodded his head. "You knuckleheads going to help me out or what!?" Stan yelled from the driver's seat. He pressed a button on the dashboard, and the back of the van opened with the sound of grinding metal. "…I'm sure that's fine" Stanley responded.

The four walked out of the house and around to the back of the van. "Whoa…" the twins gasped, while Sam and Ford stood there angrily. Inside laid huge mechanical parts, all beeping and glowing. "You have no idea how hard it is to negotiate ransom money with a raccoon while forging a portrait of Billy Mays…" Stanley said stepping out of the car. Suddenly everyone was staring at him. "…It's a very long story…" he replied.

Samson took a look around. "This kind of tech isn't supposed to exist for another couple hundred years… It's perfect!" he exclaimed. "That treaty with the Time Police sure payed out for the Blind Eye…" he said to himself.

"Ok, with all of us working together, we could have this thing up and running by tomorrow night" he said to the four Pines. "OH, hey that reminds me… Samson?" Dipper asked, "Would you… like to come to Northwest mansion tomorrow? There's going to be a big party! Mabel, you can invite your friends…" Dipper asked shyly. Mabel beamed, "YES YES YES Dipper why didn't you tell me earlier!?" she laughed.

Samson was almost awestruck. _That couldn't have gone better if I wrote a script_ he thought. He kept his excitement invisible, however. "I don't know… I have big plans for tomorrow…" he replied. "OH COME ON Please Please Please!" Mabel begged. Samson smirked, "Oh, Alright. One night…"

Mabel smiled widely while Dipper gave him a heartfelt grin. It was the first time in a long time that Sam ever felt happy to have friends. _Friends…_ he thought to himself.

As the next few hours went by, The five of them took shifts moving the equipment down into Ford's basement. While everyone was working, however, Sam took a quick run up to the twin's room, and locked the door. He started looking through the room, until he found what he was looking for. Dipper's knife.

He laughed half-heartedly to himself _. Let's try this one more time…_ He took the knife in one hand, and a piece of chalk in the other. He slowly began to draw a circular sigil on the floor, adorned with runes and strange markings. He then breathed out a sigh, and rolled his left sleeve up. Slowly and steadily, he made a cut along his arm, just above the elbow.

Sam winced slightly, but kept going, until a few drops of blood had fallen into the center of the sigil. Sam quickly rolled his sleeve back up, and placed the knife in the circle, while taking Gideon's amulet out of his jacket pocket.

He focused on the amulet's power, his eyes flickering that familiar blue flame. "Quaero vindicem hunc gladium cruentum , ubi es" Samson said in a low, dark tone. Suddenly the knife began to glow blue, and stand on its point. It then began to spin wildly, faster and faster, nearly to the point of creating a sonic boom, before immediately freezing in place. Samson's smirk widened. He could see everything, coordinates, maps, even distant memories.

 _"These chains won't hold me forever…"_

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After they had finished loading the equipment into his lab, Ford went down to his private study. He'd questioned Sam when he had mysteriously left, but didn't read to much into it. _For once, I'm letting go of this mystery…_ Ford said to himself. _…For Dipper's sake…._

Ford quietly locked the door behind him, and adjusted his glasses. _Am I crazy? Probably, but besides that, am I the only person who feels like Samson is not who he says he is…?_ He rubbed his face with his six fingers. _Maybe Dipper's right. Maybe I am just paranoid…_ he thought opening Journal 3.

He quickly skimmed to the end of the book, looking over his notes on Samson. They were all jut theories and speculation, but he felt he was on to something. Something big. He turned the page to continue his writings, only to have his heart skip a beat, and drop his pen.

There, in big bolded letters, written on the next page;

 **You Know Nothing About Me.**

Ford almost had a panic attack. How in Hell had he possibly gotten into this room!? Taken aback, he accidently knocked over a blacklight, shining on the page. It was Ford's turn to gasp in shock. Using Ford's own methods, he had written another message below.

 _It's been so long, but now I'm home_

 _While Cipher sits upon his throne_

 _When Sam's away, the mice will play_

 _But now the guilty parties pay…_

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 **[For Little Extra, Use The Atbash Cipher To Find Out Just A Little Bit More…]**

 _"...R'n hliib. Rn hliib rg szw gl yv gsrh dzb Hzn"_

"Rg'h lpzb. Ivzoob. Vevibgsrmt szh xszmtvw mld..."

"Rg dzhm'g hfkklhvw gl vmw orpv gsrh. Rg dzh tlrmt gl yv blf zmw nv ztzrmhg gsv dliow, ivnvnyvi?"

"R ivnvnyvi. Yfg mld gszg grnv rh levi. Blf'ev xslhvm blfi kzgs, zh R szev nrmv. Gsviv'h mlgsrmt dv xzm xszmtv zylfg gszg mld".

"R qfhg drhs gsviv dzh nliv grnv..."

"Hl wl R. Yfg mld blf mvvw gl ovzev"

"R'oo yv ollprmt lfg uli blf"

"R droo nrhh blf, nb uirvmw"

"Sz... R dlfowm'g wlfyg rg uli gsv fmrevihv. Svb... Hzn...?"

"Bvh?"

"Ru blf vevi mvvw nv... trev nv z xzoo"

"Blf pmld R xzm'g"

"R pmld"

"...vmqlb vgvimrgb Xrksvi..."


	17. Ace Of Spades

Ford stood there in shock for another minute or so, his breathing sporadic. _How… It shouldn't even be possible…_ he thought. He double and triple checked the security measures; nothing had been visibly tampered with. Ford was getting desperate. Every _single_ time he thought about giving Samson a chance, something came up that burned the bridge.

 _He's… He's just impossible. That's it. He's the impossible man._ Ford thought. He mentally screamed; why did this have to be so goddamn frustrating? Anything he did was somehow turned against him, and it was driving him away from his niece and nephew. The only people he ever cared about.

He carefully looked around the room, seeking any signs of forced entry, but there were none to be found. "IT'S NOT LIKE HE CAN FUCKING TELEPORT!" Ford yelled out loud, angrily throwing miscellaneous objects around. Ford breathed hard, before letting out a crestfallen sigh. He looked up, staring into one of his tapestries, depicting the demon himself. _Bill… What have you done…_

Ford couldn't take this any longer. He needed answers, and he needed them _now_. He entered the elevator and went down to the basement. As the doors opened, the florescent blue glow and harmonic whirrs of the machine enveloped him. Stan's upgrades were going in nicely. The future technology seemed to reform itself to build upon Ford's original design. It was cold, metallic, and _hard_ to the touch, but seemed to flow like gravityless liquid around the portal.

Ford sighed. This was exactly what he was looking for, all those years ago. At that time, he would have been on his hands and knees; thanking God for everything he had been given. He scoffed at the thought. _If there is a God… he left us a long time ago…_

He had all he ever wanted right in front of him, so why did it feel so empty? _It's all because of Samson…_ He realized. This, this was a hollow victory. He was nowhere closer to finding what he was looking for. He just wanted to know…

Suddenly Ford had an idea. Admittedly, it was fairly shortsighted, if not oughtright stupid. He left the basement and took the elevator back to the top floor. As he slowly made his way back inside the house, He peeked around the corner, only to see an empty sofa and matted blanket. "Where-?" Ford said shortly, before feeling a drafty chill.

He looked up to see the front door was still slightly ajar. Ford slowly crept his way forward, and carefully opened the door, imperative that he not make any noise. It was then he saw him. Samson was sitting on the front steps, out in the cold, simply staring at the moon on the horizon. "You need to work on your approach, I could hear you coming from here…" Sam said, never breaking his gaze.

Ford was once again speechless. There was no possible way Sam had heard him, he hadn't made a sound… "It's a nice night. I haven't seen this is so long…" Sam sighed.

Ford slowly walked up and sat adjacent to him, "Samson… I'm unarmed, and at the moment, not hostile. I'm going to be honest. I hate you. I hate what you're doing, how you're doing it, and how you somehow always turn out to be the good guy to my family in the end…"

Sam stifled a laugh, "Oh… you wouldn't be saying that…" he said slowly, "The things I've done? …I was cast out by my family. They all hated me, more than you ever will. …Fear… brings desperation..." Sam replied, hanging his head, "But now? I may actually have a chance. To fix everything… and to take down Cipher once and for all…"

Ford frowned. "And how, exactly, do you plan on doing all this? You said that some version of Dipper in the multiverse was the key to defeating Cipher. Great. Then what?" he asked.

For once, Samson was confused. "What do you mean?"

Ford breathed heavily, "Once you find the other dimension Dipper, know the way to defeat Bill, and end him, then what?"

Samson pondered for a second, "…I don't know…I guess at that point, I've saved the world, probably died valiantly along the way…" he said softly, "…If by some miracle I survive all this? …I suppose… I go back to my family…" He replied.

Ford sighed, and placed a hand on Sam's shoulder. "Samson, as much as I want to do you terminal physical harm, I'm going to tell you something. If what you said is true… you don't have a family to go back to…"

Ford noticed Sam's confused and hurt look on his face, but continued, "I hated my brother for what he did to me, And after thirty years of trying to bring me back and atone for his mistakes, the first thing I did was punch him in the face. And I still haven't forgiven him. If your family possibly hates you more than I do… you just need to let them go…"

Samson didn't know what to say. His mouth was struggling and failing to find words.

"... Maybe some things are best left forgotten..." Ford solemnly stated.

"No... No they need me... They just don't know it yet..." Samson said hastily.

"Are you listening to yourself!? They've gone this long without you, and if after all this time they still feel the same way, nothing, and I mean _nothing_ , is going to make them accept you." Ford insisted. He could see the rage in Sam's eyes, and he knew that this was exactly how to make him talk...

"You don't know that..." Sam fumed. _Of course they'd forgive me... they'd have to... right...?_

"Yes I do, I'm the one living it!" Ford protested, "Even if I'm dead wrong, even if I'm at fault, I will never forgive Stanley for everything he's done to me".

Samson was silent, deep in thought. _It's not true... You know it is... They'll forgive me... They will never forgive you...  
_  
Ford had never seen Sam this distressed. _If I don't play my cards right now I'm never going to get another chance like this..._ He realized. He slowly reached into his jacket pocket, and pulled out Journal 3. He spoke carefully, "...Samson... What happened to you? You wrote that I don't know anything about you. You knew I would ask you about it. ...I need to know. Please..."

Sam simply sat there, and breathed deeply. "You were right about one thing Ford. Trust no one..." He said with regret in his voice, "The cycle has happened more times than you know. It happened to you. And it happened to me..."

He sighed, but continued, "I was desperate. I was afraid. I was a coward... And I did things that were forbidden among the forbidden. People couldn't understand. So they cast me out. It's taken me so long to get back, but now... I'm finally home. I can fix this. Make things right." he said hopefully.

Ford listened quietly. He could really see the uncanny resemblance between Samson and Stanley. _Maybe he's right... And maybe one day I'll make things up to him..._ Ford pondered. "But it's more than that isn't it? You said that... now the guilty parties pay. You're not just here for forgiveness... You're here for revenge".

Sam sighed, "Everyone needs some good old-fashioned payback now and then..." he laughed half heartedly, "But if there's anything that you and I will agree on Ford... is that Cipher needs to suffer for everything he's done to us..."

Ford's eyes shot open, "You've had direct contact with Bill!?"

Sam actually laughed at that. "Contact...? We had more than contact... We were friends. We _trusted_ each other. Like you ... I was like his partner..." He said with anger.

Ford was torn between a feeling of understanding and empathy, and the imminent regret of attempting to shoot him less than a day ago...

"I trusted Cipher. And because of it, a lot terrible things happened. That's why I need to be here. I have to find him... and I have to _kill_ him. It's the only way..." Sam finished.

Ford sat there, mesmerized. _This... This changes things..._ He realized. "...Samson?" Ford asked quietly.

Sam finally looked at him in acknowledgment. Ford searched for words for a moment, before speaking slowly, "...After you're done... Once you've saved the world and ended Bill once and for all... There's something I want to ask of you..."

Sam was stoic, "One, what would you ever want from me, and two, you're not in a good position to make demands right now".

"This isn't for me. I was... hoping..." Ford breathed out a sigh. _It's for the best..._ , "I was hoping that once you've finished, and you go find your family, keep us in mind. I have a feeling that your folks won't be as understanding... So if things don't go your way ...I was thinking you could... stay with the kids..." he breathed out, "They truly look up to you, and I think that if it really came down to it, you would protect them. If you want to come back... I won't stop you".

Samson was absolutely speechless. This was not even remotely the Ford he once knew. Yesterday he'd tried to actually _murder_ him, and today he was offering his home, and his family's safety, in his hands.

Samson's wry smile finally returned to him, along with the familiar blue spark.

"...We have a deal..."


	18. Morning Star

**[AN: SO SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE! Lot of delays and slowdowns, but hey, it's winter break! So chapters will be much more regular. Hope you all enjoy!]**

After a long talk with Sam, Ford went to his study, and filled out several more pages of Samson in Journal 3. _Wow, I'm reaching the end of this thing…_ Ford realized, after seeing there were only around twenty or so pages left in the book. He read through his research, forming a final compilation of all the clues he had of Samson's existence.

 _-Stoic, unnerved, suppressed emotions,_

 _-Almost inhuman, possibly of anomilitical origin(?)_

 _-Expert in deception, cunning, manipulation,_

 _-Ally of Bill?_ _Enemy of Bill, Partners in the past,_

 _-Uses smug humor and coyness in stressful situations,_

 _WEAKNESSES:_

 _-His family…_

Ford put the pen down and re-read his findings, making sure he hadn't missed anything important. He slowly closed the journal, setting it beside its counterparts on the table. Realizing that he didn't exactly have a bed at the moment, having slept besides the windowsill the night before, he grabbed a pillow and blanket from the living room and headed down to the basement.

The machines were like music to his ears, actually making Ford almost feel relaxed for the first time in thirty years. The soft lights and hums were exactly what he needed, and it honestly wasn't long before he had dozed off.

It wasn't much later that the elevator door opened, and out stepped Samson. Noticing Ford sleeping soundly, he silently walked over to the foundation of the universe portal. He took a good long look at the future technology at work. It was impressively adaptive to retrograde machinery. _I really hope this works, or I'm beyond screwed…_ Sam thought to himself.

He quietly crept back into the control room, sat down behind the main computer, and took Dipper's knife out of his pocket. The silver knife glowed blue in his hand, as did his eyes. He smiled, and began wildly punching in console commands, his hands seeming to be moving on their own.

After a few minutes worth of coding, recoding, and proofreading, Samson breathed out a sigh and lay back in his chair. The blue flames dissipating, Sam put the knife back in his pocket, and admired his handiwork. He could barely contain his excitement as his fingers hovered over the keyboard. Sam held his breath, closed his eyes, and hit 'Enter'.

Suddenly the entire room was plastered with white light. If Samson could have opened his eyes, he wouldn't have even been able to see his own hands. Not a moment later he heard Ford screaming. As the light died, Sam rushed to Ford's side, actually concerned as to whether he had burned out the old man's eyes.

"S-Sam…?" Ford asked lightheadedly.

"It's ok Ford, I'm here, you're ok, you're safe".

Ford immediately shot up, looking Samson in the eye, "We are never safe".

Sam sighed, but turned around, and what he saw put a wide smile on his face once more.

"…What in… Samson… What have you done…?"

Samson was deathly silent for a long while, before speaking slowly.

"…I think I just became God…"

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Dipper was sleeping softly in his bed for what felt like blissful ages. He lay there quietly, dreaming about all the wondrous times he'd had in Gravity Falls. _Finding the Gobbelwonker, fighting a giant robot, helping Mabel win Waddles… watching Robbie ride the tunnel of love with Wendy… being turned into Bill's personal sock puppet… nearly dropping his sister off the stage balcony in a wooden cake…._

 _You think you're so clever…_

Dipper shot straight up in bed. He knew that familiar sinister voice…

"You aren't real… Sam… he killed you…" Dipper said worriedly

 _Oh come Dipper, you should know by now… I will always be with you…_

Dipper shook his head wildly, and headed to the bathroom. He washed his face down with the cold water, breathing quickly and out of pace. "It's just a dream. It's just a dream…"

Dipper looked up into the mirror, and jumped back in shock. His eyes shone bright yellow, dripping with hot crimson blood. His lips curled in an evil smile. _"You can never be free…"_ his reflection spoke, _"The power we have together… We can solve the mysteries of the entire universe! We are strong. But you need to trust in me…"_ he said, smiling wickedly.

"You're a monster…" Dipper replied in a terrified voice.

 _"I am everything you ever hoped of being, everything you ever wanted. It can all be yours Dipper… just say yes. Let me in. I can give you answers beyond your wildest dreams! We can go to the nightmare realm and finish Bill together! What do you say, partner…"_ Bipper replied.

Dipper stood there, trying to process what he had just heard. "Here's what I say… Go to Hell…"

Bipper started laughing hysterically. He wiped the blood from his eyes, and simply disappeared, leaving Dipper staring at his own reflection.

 _Make your play, Pine Tree…_

Dipper shook his head and splashed the cold water on his face.

"Hello Dipper"

Dipper almost screamed as he spun around, taking a moment to notice the black clothes and blue eyes. "Oh, hey Samson, what are you doing here…?" Dipper asked, attempting to be nonchalant.

"You've seen him. Haven't you" Sam said, not as a question.

Dipper stuttered, but then simply sighed in defeat, and nodded. He looked up at Samson with worried eyes. "I thought he was gone. I thought you killed him. I don't understand…"

"Dipper, there are things you must know. What you have experienced is something only three people on this planet have, two being you and your uncle. He's had thirty years to cope with his darkness. You've seen what that has done to him. He's cold, calculating, sadistic at times. And he can see it in you. That's why he loves you above your sister…" Samson said slowly.

Dipper choked out a sob and hugged Samson. Not in an affectionate way, but in a way to hold on to something, desperately crying out for support.

Sam sighed. "Bipper… is not an easy thing to deal with. He's, in a way, become his own entity. When I fought him in the mindscape, he was physical. I could hurt him as he could me. I won't sugarcoat it, that is a very bad thing. You cannot allow Bipper to take control, or it would be chaos. In time, you will learn to control your darkness. I can suppress him, but I cannot destroy him. He is a part of you now". Samson said mournfully.

Dipper wanted to cry, and plead, and kill something. Badly. He wanted to watch the life be drained out of something, slowly, painfully. He shuddered, and hugged Samson tighter.

Samson pressed his hands on Dipper's back, holding him steadfast. "This may not be the best time, but there are things I wish to discuss with you. It may take your mind off things…" Samson mused.

Dipper nodded, and walked with Samson to the living room. "There are some other things you should know. When I was in your mindscape, I could see into certain memories… certain feelings…" Samson said, planning his words, "… May I ask you, why did you accept the proposal to attend Ms. Northwest's party tonight?"

Dipper was sort of confused, but answered honestly. "I don't know. I hate the Northwests, but Pacifica, is different. She isn't like her parents. Plus, Mabel loves going to parties, so I guess this was for her…" He replied hesitantly.

"Is it? There was a door in your mindscape, which had, to put it simply, several images of Ms. Corduroy. Now you can picture what that would mean. I'll admit, I was intrigued, but then I saw something I didn't expect. An image of yourself and Ms. Northwest at the Northwest mansion. She was hugging you, and you simply stood there, unsure of yourself. Tell me Dipper, honestly, do you admire her?"

Dipper simply sat there, half in shock _. Why is he asking me this… I mean it's not like… well I mean… uhhh…_ Dipper thought. "I… I... suppose… she is nicer now. And more caring…" _and beautiful…_

"Do you think that she feels the same way?" Samson said, barely listening to Dipper's attempts at beating around the bush. He already knew how the boy felt. He just needed him to realize it…

Dipper sighed _. He's right_. "I… I don't know. She payed me to forget about the hug, so I'd say it was a heat of the moment kind of thing. I mean look at me, she's an heiress. I live in a beat down hovel. It would never work out…" he said defeated.

"What if I said I have it on good authority that you're wrong…?" Samson replied, his signature smirk returning.

Dipper perked up, "I'd say you were bluffing…" he said slowly.

Sam smiled. "You both have something the other admires. If you told her how you felt, I believe things would work out better than you would ever expect".

Dipper stared at nothing for a long time, before standing up, and walking back upstairs. He stopped suddenly halfway up the staircase. "Samson, if you're wrong about this, I won't hesitate to kill you".

Sam simply laughed. "I wouldn't doubt it. Enjoy your day. You have a big night ahead of you…"

Dipper continued walking up the stairs to his bed, but couldn't wipe the smile off of his face.

Samson went back down to the basement, meeting up with Ford. "Samson, I still don't know how you did it, but I think it's working…" Ford said mesmerized.

"Have a little faith my friend…" Samson laughed, "…This will be a day long remembered".

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Ford spent the majority of the day down in the basement, tinkering with the portal. The twins on the other hand were running the Shack with Stanley.

"Hey Grunkle Stan, If Sammy's going to be staying for a while, he should have a cool name for the shack like us!" Mabel said cheerfully, "You know, like the Mystery Twins and Mr. Mystery!"

Stan laughed, "Sorry kiddo, but somethin' tells me ol' Sam ain't too keen on crowds. I'd doubt that he-"

"…I'd like Captain Conspiracy…" they heard. Stan and Mabel turned around, only to see Sam with a sheepish grin on his face, "I don't know. Just seemed to fit…"

Mabel beamed, "I LOVE IT! WE NEED TO GET YOU A COSTUME!" she yelled, running upstairs.

"Wow Sam, didn't know you had it in you…" Stan laughed.

"Don't think it's permanent. If anything, it's just so I can be seen in the shack while the portal finishes charging…"

Stan grinned. "Well, whatever the reason, you made Mabel's day. Be prepared to be trying on clothes for the next hour or so…Sammy…" he laughed.

Samson grimaced _. Just one more day. That's all. And then this will all be over…_

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"R MVVW BLF! KOVZHV! RN HLIIB!"

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"...Tllwybv, Hzn..."


	19. All Is Fair In Love And War

'An hour' was putting it lightly. Samson groaned as Mabel went through costume after costume, making sure every specific detail was perfect. "Arms up!" Mabel commanded. Sam sighed and raised his arms while Mabel cut and measured. "Can't this go any faster?" Samson said impatiently.

"You can't rush art Sammy…" Mabel replied. Sam grimaced, "Must you all use that God forsaken nickname… It makes me sound like a child…" Samson replied. Mabel almost burst out laughing.

"Aww, is mister shady-scary feeling insecure?" she giggled. Sam scoffed, "What? No, that's not… I mean that's… It's just a matter of respect. That's all" he stated. Mabel couldn't help but smile. "It's ok Sammy. Your secret's safe with me".

Samson sighed, and let her continue designing. _She has such a kindred spirit. And yet, there's no ignorance. How she can stay like this with full knowledge of the world around her, I will never understand…_ he thought.

Mabel was simply trying not to get squeamish over the fact that she was playing dress up with Samson as her little boy-toy. _Eww, no Mabel. Thoughts for another time. Focus._ She got to work cutting, sewing and finalizing her outfit.

"Ta daa!" Mabel shouted enthusiastically. Samson blinked, and then smiled himself. _Damn…_ Before him were a stylish jacket somewhat like his own, a dark undershirt, and a pair of black jeans and a fedora-like hat. Sam chuckled, "Looks like a 1920's detective… I like it" he said, taking the jacket in his hands.

He removed his own jacket, and lifted off his T shirt. It took everything in Mabel not to swoon, but then she gasped. Samson's body was covered in scars, burn marks, and tattoos in a language Mabel didn't understand. Honestly, if they weren't so horrible, Mabel would have thought it was incredibly hot…

Samson noticed her slack-jawed expression, before realizing what he was doing. He turned around in a vain attempt to hide from the small girl. Mabel's eyes went wide; his back was even worse. Lashes and scars adorned his skin, and there were thick gashes side by side, as if the flesh had been ripped off.

Sam quickly threw on Mabel's clothing, desperately trying to cover his torso. As he became adjusted to the fabric, he admired their feel and perfect dimensioning. Having normal clothes to look at, Mabel finally relaxed. Her heart was pumping a mile a minute, both because of worry, but also because Sam's scars were incredibly enthralling.

"Sam… what…" Mabel said in a weak voice, but Samson put up one hand. "That is a discussion for another time Mabel. Don't ask me about it again. And _don't_ tell your uncles" Samson said in a very serious and commanding tone. Mabel just nodded slowly.

Samson sighed. "…I am impressed. You have a lot of talent. Thank you…" he said as he walked out of the room. Mabel simply stood there for a long while, before collapsing on her bed.

 _Oh God Sammy… What have you gotten yourself into…_

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Samson walked downstairs, taking his time with every step. The fabric needed a bit of wearing out before it could be used casually. As he walked into the front room, Stanly nearly spat out his teeth. "Holy chalulas Batman!" he said, laughing hysterically, "Looks like we've got ourselves a new attraction! Hey everyone, 15$ for a signature by the one and only Captain Conspiracy!"

 _Oh lord this was a bad idea…_ Sam thought as the crowd ran up to him, waving money in his face. _Although… this may be a good means of acquiring some liquid assets…_

He put on his signature cocky smile, and started signing autographs. As he collected the money, he put each 15$ on the register table for Wendy to count, but every once in a while slipped a customer or two's payment into his jacket pocket. Wendy watched closely, but not quite closely enough.

 _Wait… This could be perfect…_ Samson said to himself. As the day went by and he collected more dough, he eventually walked up to Stan and cashed out. Stanley smiled at the wad of bills in front of him, and turned the sign on the door from open to closed. "Sorry folks, big night tonight, gotta close up early! But come back tomorrow! With more money!" Stanley yelled eagerly.

Samson smiled. _The old man's greed could be used to my advantage…_ he noted. But that was for another time. For the moment, he turned his attention to the redhead sitting by herself at the register. "You must be Ms. Corduroy. I've heard a lot about you…" Samson said calmly.

Wendy looked up, "And you must be Sammy. Pine's latest houseguest. Mabel doesn't stop talking about you" she replied happily. _So help me God if one more person calls me that I'm going to start dropping bodies…_ Samson mentally fumed, but kept his composure cool.

"It's Samson, actually, but you can call me Sam" he said, extending his hand. Wendy grabbed and shook it, "Awfully formal are we Sam?" she asked.

"Only to my friends. I will hopefully enjoy getting to know you better. But for now, there are a few things I wanted to ask you" Samson said slowly.

Wendy raised an eyebrow, "Such as…?" She wondered.

Samson smiled, but continued, "I am aware of the… situation… between you and young Mr. Pines. I know how much you care about him, platonicly speaking of course, and I was hoping you could… help me help him" Samson said intricately.

Wendy perked up, "…What do you have in mind? I mean, I know how Dipper feels about me, and he's a great guy… but…" She stammered.

"But you're too old for him. It's as simple as that. But… what if I told you that Dipper had another… flare… shall we say, with someone closer to his age?" He said, smirking coyly.

Wendy became more intrigued. "I'd say you're off your rocker… He and Candy went south and I can never imagine him having feelings for Grenda, no offence… I mean-". Samson smiled and motioned for her to be patient.

"Dipper Pines is in love. He hasn't fully realized it quite yet, but he is. And you're going to help him. You're going to help me get Dipper to fall in love… with Pacifica Northwest" Sam said coldly.

Wendy stood there motionless for a long time, then proceeded to fake throw up in her mouth. "You've got to be kidding me! Pacifica Northwest!? She's a complete BITC-"

"I know what you may think of her, and I'm here to tell you none of it's real. She was under the influence of her parents, and has since befriended the twins. You can ask him yourself…" Samson said cautiously, "… It's for the best. And it will make Dipper happy. He will finally have someone who he won't be afraid to love. Just give him that chance. You're the only thing he still holds on to. Just push him in the right direction… I'll handle the rest…"

"Do we have a deal?" Sam said, his cocky smirk returning. Wendy squinted, it almost seemed like his eyes were… sparkling? No... more like flaming. Bright blue. She stared at his open hand for a long time, before grasping it tightly.

"Deal"

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Samson went back down to the basement, where he and Ford were working tirelessly, maintaining equipment and running calculations. All the while, Sam couldn't get the devious smile off his face. "Sam… what's going on…?" Ford asked hesitantly.

"Nothing at all, my friend… just excited for tonight. It's going to be big…"

Meanwhile, upstairs, Wendy was still mindlessly running the cash register, when Dipper came in through the front door. "Oh, hey Wendy! Sorry I'm late, just trying to clear my head. Went on a stroll through the forest… How's your day been?" Dipper asked nervously.

Wendy looked up suspiciously. "Hey Dipper… You never go through the forest. Something on your mind?" she asked.

Dipper sighed. "A lot, actually. Can I ask you something?" Dipper said. Wendy nodded earnestly, so he continued. "What do you say when you have no idea what to say, to a person that means something to you. And you don't want to look stupid?" Dipper asked.

"Well that's when you go in for the kiss." Wendy laughed. Dipper turned bright red at that, and Wendy noticed his reaction instantly. "I was joking dude. But now I have to ask. Is this about someone…?" Wendy asked. Dipper said nothing, but slowly nodded.

"…Is it about Pacifica?" Wendy questioned. Dipper's eyes shot open and his face got even redder. It was all the answer that Wendy needed. "Hey man… It's cool. Really. I'm… I'm actually really happy for you".

Dipper was shocked, "Wait, really?"

Wendy smiled and nodded. She put both hands on Dipper's shoulders and looked him in the eyes. "Dipper, don't let me get in the way of your happiness. I want you to go out there, and I want you to find wherever your heart leads. And right now, something tells me it leads right to Pacifica Northwest. So go get her… And Dipper?" Wendy asked. Dipper raised his eyebrows in acknowledgement. "…I want you to know that I care about you, and love you like family. But there's someone out there who can love you like you deserve to be loved. Go find her…" Wendy said, kissing Dipper on the forehead.

Dipper didn't know what to say. He stood there for a long time, before throwing his arms around Wendy. Wendy returned the hug, and they simply stayed there, taking mutual comfort in the embrace. Eventually they broke off, and Wendy could see tears glistening off of Dipper's cheeks. "I guess I'll need to get a tux…" Dipper said, forcing a smile. Wendy laughed, "I'm sure your sister could help with that".

Dipper smiled and began walking upstairs. "Thank you Wendy… for everything". Wendy smiled and nodded. Dipper continued upstairs, and walked to his room. He opened the door, only to see Mabel staring ominously out the window. She turned and looked at him, before speaking sternly.

"We need to talk about Samson…"

 **[Hello everyone! I'd like to take a moment to ask all of you readers to participate in the poll found at the top of my profile page! Your vote could affect the outcome of this story, so you don't want to miss it! Until then, see you in the next chapter! Enjoy!]**


	20. Silver Night

**[Hey Guys! Merry Christmas! Let's get this show on the road! I'd like to thank with all my heart, LeelaSmall, who actually made fanart of this story! This has been one of my major goals since I started Sky Falls, and you have no idea how happy this makes me. You can find it on her twitter page, LeelaSmall, be sure to check it out! I would also like to recognize Encalamah, for providing some fantastic ideas for this chapter! Thank you all!]**

Dipper slowly sat down on Mabel's bed next to her; he could see the scared look on her face. _Oh… Oh no…_ Dipper thought, "Mabel, what's wrong? What about Sam, what did he do to you?" he asked fearfully.

Mabel shot up her hands in defense, "NO, NOTHING LIKE THAT! …It's just… I'm worried about him…" Her gaze turned to the floor, "I think… I think Sam is in trouble. A lot of trouble… and I don't know how to help him. He's… I can't even imagine the things he's been through…" She said defeated.

Dipper was startled; this was a new side to Mabel, "What do you mean? What happened to the whole 'Sam is perfect diamonds and glitter oh please marry me' thing you had going on?" he said half-jokingly. One look from Mabel and he realized that was the absolute wrong thing to say.

"IT'S NOT HIS FAULT! He's just… God Dipper… I don't know what to do…" She said, softly crying. "Mabel! Mabel, I'm sorry...I'm sorry. What happened? Why… why are you so upset? What could possibly make you this much upset?" Dipper stammered.

The hot tears on Mabel's face began hitting the bedsheets. "I… I…" Mabel stuttered, lost for words, "I… can't tell you…"

Dipper was shocked, and choked out a laugh in spite of himself. "I'm… I'm sorry, what? _You can't tell me?_ Something this important to you… **_and you can't tell me!?_** What the hell happened to the Mystery Twins huh!?" he yelled angrily.

"Dipper you don't understand!" Mabel yelled back, bawling. Dipper scoffed, "You were the only person I ever trusted Mabel… more than Ford, more than anyone! I thought we agreed never to keep secrets! Guess I was wrong then…" he said, walking out the door.

"Dipper, wait! Come back!" she called out. But it was too late. He was already gone.

 _You can't trust anyone…_

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Dipper stormed out of the mystery shack. _Why would she do this!? She's practically crying her eyes out, and she doesn't even trust me enough to tell me what's wrong!? I've known her all her life! She's knows this guy for TWO DAYS!_ He thought, betrayed and sorrowful.

"Something wrong Dipper?" asked a voice from behind him. He turned, and of course, there stood Samson. "A lot of things right now… Mabel…" Dipper hesitated, "… I need to know. Why does she trust you so much? More than her own brother?" he asked, desperate for answers.

Sam sighed. "Mabel found out something about me, something I didn't want your uncles knowing. She kept it from you… trying to protect me. While I appreciate her loyalty, you weren't someone I was afraid off…" Samson trailed off. He gauged Dipper's reaction carefully, before slowly lifting his undershirt to his neckline. Dipper stood there, half in shock.

"I'm sure you want to know where I got them, and I'm going to need you to trust me when I say, I can't tell you yet. There are things in my past you shouldn't know, but I promise you Dipper, I will explain everything one day".

Dipper stumbled on his words, "I do trust you Samson… and right now… you're the only person I trust…" he said, hurt apparent in his voice.

Samson smiled, a real smile, and put his hand on Dipper warmly. "That means a great deal to me. Thank you, Dipper…" he perked up, "…Now I want to give you something. A little favor for the party tonight…" Sam said, his smirk returning.

He snapped his fingers, and his eyes lit up in blue flame, making Dipper jump back a bit. He pulled a small glass jar out of his jacket pocket, holding it for Dipper to see. It had some form of black material inside of it…

"Enchanted bog spider silk. Extremely rare, and extremely difficult to acquire. Got it last night while Ford was working on the portal" Sam said, never losing his devious smile. He flicked his wrist, and the strands came flowing out of the jar, shooting in all different directions. Samson waved his fingers, and suddenly the strands began assembling into intricate patterns, tightening and weaving themselves, until before them was a shimmering dark cloak, teaming with some form of energy.

"Well then? Are you going to try it on?" Sam asked. Dipper snapped back to reality, and stared at Sam. "Are you serious? That's mine…?" he asked mesmerized. Samson chuckled, "Well it wouldn't do me much good now would it?"

Dipper stared in awe. He slowly stepped up, and put his arms through the cloak's sleeves. Immediately, he could feel the power flowing through him, coursing through his veins. He looked up at Sam, eyes filled with wonder.

Samson's smile broadened. "Well, it looks like we've got a winner… The silk has special properties. I can imbue one with immense psychic abilities. Added bonus that it's very stylish. I'm entrusting you with this power, Dipper. **_Don't let me down_**. Now, if I'm correct, I believe you have a date at Northwest mansion…" he said, his smirk even wider.

Dipper couldn't get the smile off of his face. _This, this is incredible! I can't wait to use this, I can feel it… the power…_

 _This is going to be fun kid…_

Dipper walked with Samson to Lazy Susan's car. He had the unbearable urge to rip every tree from its roots, to tear the grass from the earth, but he resisted. He couldn't let Samson down. Not now. What Dipper didn't realize, however, was that his eyes were flaming as well. But unlike Samson's, they didn't burn blue.

His eyes were searing black.

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It took about ten minutes to drive the beat up car to the Northwest's mansion. As they pulled into the driveway, along with all the limousines, Samson couldn't help but feel a bit anxious. Everyone's eyes were on them, whispers being thrown around. No one knew the man, but some recognized the teen. Dipper Pines, the kid that saved the Northwest's party earlier this summer.

Sam was dressed in his Captain Conspiracy outfit, which happened to fit perfectly in retrospect. He could blend into the crowd while also maintaining a level of discretion. Dipper on the other hand was more prominent. People couldn't tell why, but they just noticed the boy. He seemed to just gravitate attention.

Dipper simply began enjoying the party, and at the moment, he was savoring some imported crab cakes. _I can feel their fear… when they died…_ he realized, but strangely it almost seemed casual to him _. Death is simply a matter of perspective…_

He looked around the ballroom, finally finding a winding set of stairs to the second floor. As he began walking up, he stopped, and closed his eyes. People could sense the cloak's power _. They can't have it… they won't…_ _ **it's mine**_ _…_ Dipper raged. He focused his energy, trying to drown out the cloak as much as possible. Storing the energy within himself, he could tell people began to look away. It simply appeared as normal attire now.

Dipper smiled, and opened his eyes. For a second, one could have sworn that they were completely black, only to appear completely normal a second later. On the floor below, from across the room, a man had a devilish smirk on his face.

Dipper walked across the halls, finally finding the door he was looking for. He swallowed, and knocked repeatedly. "I already told you, I'm waiting for someone!" called out a familiar voice. Dipper smiled, "I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you chose to dance with m-" he said as the door swung open.

"Dipper!" Pacifica yelled happily, and ran up to hug him. "Well now sweetheart, I haven't even bought you dinner yet" Dipper joked, returning the hug. Pacifica smiled and stepped back, but what she saw took her breath away. _Oh… my… Damn…_ Dipper was looking like a character from a movie. His hair slicked back, showing his birthmark, and his attire… it just all worked a little too well.

Pacifica was suddenly feeling really flustered. "Um… hey, can we go dance downstairs, I think the AC is broken up here, is it getting hot or is it just you…" Pacifica stammered, before bolting upright, realizing what she just said. "I MEAN, uhh-" Pacifica squirmed. Dipper simply smiled and held out his hand.

Pacifica blushed profusely, but took his hand in hers, as Dipper led them back into her bedroom. They danced to the music coming from downstairs, laughing and smiling, holding each other tightly. Suddenly Dipper felt Pacifica shudder, and stepped back, only now noticing the tear forming on her face.

"Pacifica, what's wrong? Aren't you happy?" Dipper asked. Pacifica sniffled, "Yes. More than I've been my entire life. That's the problem…" She whispered. "What do you mean? I don't understand…" Dipper said confused.

Pacifica sat down on her bed. "Dipper, I care a lot about you, and this? I've dreamed of this since the last time we were here. But…" Pacifica stammered, "I made a choice. A deal. I'm… I'm just not sure… If what you're feeling right now is real…"

Dipper sighed, but smiled. "Pacifica, everything I'm feeling right now, Is all real. I'm not under a spell, or being possessed. I… I feel the same way about you. Pacifica Elise Northwest… I love you…" Dipper said, smiling weakly. Pacifica turned to him, tears streaming down her face, but now out of pure unadulterated joy.

She wiped her eyes and smiled broadly, before nearly tackling Dipper in a passionate kiss. Dipper stammered for only a second, before returning the kiss, lying with Pacifica on her bed.

Downstairs, in the corner of the ballroom, Samson stood, the broad smirk plastered on his face. _Perfect. Everything is going according to plan…_

What he didn't realize, however, was that across the room, another man stood. He was chatting up dignitaries, enjoying the wine, wearing the finest suit. And watching Sam… with bright yellow eyes…


	21. The Madman's Doctor

**[AN, PLEASE READ: Hey Guys! TheTrueAmerican here! Hope you all enjoyed Christmas one way or another! But that's beside the point. I'm on vacation with the family, which is a bit unfortunate, because the next chapter is going to be absolutely Huge. I hope you enjoy this chapter, make sure to leave a comment, and also be sure to check out the poll on my profile! Can't wait to see who wins!]**

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Mabel lay in her room crying. She couldn't get Dipper's words out of her head. She only knew, prayed more like, that her brother's trust in her hadn't been shattered. Dipper had looked angry, but she knew him better than that. He was completely heartbroken. Because of her keeping secrets. _I… I did the right thing… didn't I…?_ she thought _. I… I'm sorry Dipper. I'm so sorry…_

Suddenly the door burst in, and Mabel nearly choked gasping on her own tears. Her eyes shot open, and standing there was a watery, blurry image of Grunkle Ford. Ford was holding something in his hands, and after wiping away her tears, Mabel realized it was a double barreled shotgun. She could see the crazed look in his eyes, and for a second Mabel was terrified that he was about to fill her full of lead.

"Where is he!?" Ford yelled, "Where's Samson!?" Mabel continued crying, both out of fear and regret, much to the alarm of Ford. He slowly rested his shotgun down on Dipper's bed, and tried to calm down. "Mabel, where is your brother? I need to find Sam, and Dipper may be the only one who knows where he is right now".

Mabel dried her eyes and took a breath, desperate for air after sobbing for so long. "I… I think..." Mabel stammered. Suddenly a look of realization came over her face. Looking Ford square in the eyes, she spoke with urgency.

"Get in the car".

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Earlier that day, Ford was keeping close mind on his work with the portal. When Sam had left the basement, he had almost missed his being there. Almost. Credit where credit was due, Samson was a genius. Running calculations like second nature, making sure the machine didn't go nuclear while the children were home, even catching mistakes in Ford's own work. He had to admit, Sam strongly reminded him of Fiddleford.

He sighed, and checked his journals. Sam's pages were filling up, but he still didn't have any solid evidence into _what_ he was. Ford was fairly convinced that he was human, but there were just too many oddities about him to be any old Joe. Samson came from _somewhere,_ and Ford was going to find it. One way or another…

He snapped back to reality, noticing a complication within the futuristic technology. _The ionic capacitor beam is too unstable…_ he realized _, I might have a refractory lens left in my study_. Ford took the elevator up to the second floor, and unlocked the door to his personal room. He sought after an old cabinet under his desk, full of dust and cobwebs.

Ford smiled, and opened the cabinet, only to have the smile on his face disappear. Of all the jars and vials, the refractory lens was sitting right where he had left it thirty years ago. It was beyond his concern at that moment. His attention shifted to the top shelf of jars, marked 'DO NOT OPEN'.

 _One of the jars was missing._

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Back at the Northwest's mansion, Dipper breathed softly, caught in Pacifica's embrace. He could feel a cold, dark, sinful desire coursing through him, but resisted the temptation as best he could. Her warmth. Her touch. It was all so… perfect.

Pacifica was still crying in happiness. This was exactly what she had wished for, all she had dreamed of. She could see a life as Pacifica Pines. She didn't know how Sam had done it, but he did.

And she couldn't be more terrified of what came after. The price she had to pay, to the man who gave her everything. She had her entire world in front of her in a glass bottle. She simply prayed no one could ever smash it to pieces…

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Samson smiled in spite of himself _. My lord, I haven't had wine this pristine since…_ he mentally trailed off. He looked at the shimmering glass in front of him, admiring the crystal clarity. He could make out his reflection in the wine. As well as…

Samson froze stone cold. He nearly dropped his beverage, but that would have brought too much attention. He slowly placed his quivering hand on the table, setting down the bright red glass. He retained his composure as long as he could muster.

"How long…?" Samson said trembling. He heard a light chuckle behind him, filled with sadistic glee. He could feel each perverse fingertip edge along his shoulder. "Why so curious… can't we just have a nice little talk… my old friend…" slithered a cruel and demented voice.

Samson turned; looking into those bright slit eyes once again. "You know we have nothing to talk about…" Sam said hastily. "Oh but I digress…" Bill replied slyly, "…we have plenty to discuss".

"You… you possessed an innocent man…" Sam said angrily.

"Well well well, look at mister big-shot over here! I thought we didn't care what happened to other people. And for the record, he was far from innocent. He was a wife beater and an abuser, who asked for nothing more than an obedient wife and a river of rum, and was more than happy to hand me the merchandise. When did you get all sentimental?" Bill laughed.

"You know when…" Samson replied, mournfully. He was stuck between a feeling of burning hatred, and undying guilt.

"Ugh, BORING! Honestly Sam, you need to get over her! She was collateral damage. Nothing I could have done. Why does one insignificant life have to come between partners?" Bill asked.

Sam nearly strangled him. "You know damn well why…" he fumed, "…And you know why I will kill you Cipher. Why are you here? If you wanted me dead, you would have killed me already. Spit it out" he said frustrated.

Bill merely laughed, "You're right there Sam! I don't want to kill you. I want to hire you…"

Samson scoffed, "What… Why on Earth would I ever work for _you_!?"

"Because Sam, you have things I want, I have things you want. That's how deals work, remember? I have to say, I'm digging Pine Tree's new threads. Really brings out his eyes…" Bill said coldly, "…You know I need that cloak. I know you want revenge. So I'll tell you what. You give me the suit, I give you the girl…"

Samson's heart skipped a beat. "You… You're threatening to kill me?" he asked not so much afraid as he was intrigued.

"What? No you dimwit, I've been in existence for over a billion years, you think I don't know a thing or two about necromancy?" Bill said with a demonic smile.

Samson simply stared into his yellow eyes for what seemed like ages _. This… This could be it…_ he thought to himself, _This is better than vengeance. This… This is what you want… isn't it?_

And then Sam knew his answer. The things he needed to do _. Protecting his friends._ Sam sighed… and spoke softly, "No."

Bill looked at him, almost hurt, and took his hand off of Sam's shoulder. "I am sorry… my old friend. About her. But one day, you will realize… I'm not the only one here who's damned…" he said bitterly. As he walked out the bustling room, Bill turned. "Sam… If you can ever find what you are looking for… pray I don't find it first. Because if I do… you won't live long enough to see it…"

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Hzn svow gsv xszop rm srh szmw hszprmt zh gslfts rg dviv z gslfhzmw wvtivvh. Sv ollpvw wldm zg srh szmwrdlip, zmw hklpv zm zmxrvmg nvhhztv dirggvm rm hglmv. Zmw hfwwvmob, yvuliv srn…

"Blf xzoovw…"

"Jfrxpob, dv wlm'g szev nfxs grnv…"

"Blf mvevi xzoovw"

"Wznm rg, HMZK LFG LU RG! R mvvw blfi svok…"

"Yfg… blf…"

"R pmld. R'n hliib. R qfhg wlm'g pmld dsviv vohv gl tl…"

"Rg'h yvvm hl olmt Hzn…"

"Kovzhv, Qfhg ORHGVM! R… R mvvw gl nzpv z wvzo…"

"Z… dzrg… blf xzm'g…"

"WZNM RG KOVZHV! R MVVW BLF!"

"Dszg xlfow nzpv blf hl wvhkvizgv…"

"Sv'h xlnrmt. R mvvw gl pvvk svi hzuv…."

"R xzmg…"

"BLF SZEV GL! Kovzhv… R'n yvttrmt blf… pvvk svi hzuv…"

"…Hzn…"

"Wl dv szev z wvzo li mlg Xrksvi!?"

Hznhlm vcgvmwvw srh szmw lfg gl gsv wvnlm. Yvdrowvivw zmw kvikovcvw, Yroo xlftsvw lfg z hortsg xsfxpov. Gszg xsfxpov hllm yvxznv z xsroormt ozfts, zmw Yroo hfwwvmob dilftsg z xizavw tovzn rm srh vbv zmw z wvnlmrx hnrov lm srh uzxv. Srh szmw zuoznv, sv tizyyvw lm gl Hzn'h zmw hsllp rg.

"Wvzo!"


	22. Checkmate

**[Hey everyone! Happy New Years! WELCOME TO THE FINALE! No not really, but kind of XD. You'll understand at the end. I'm going on a slight hiatus after this chapter, so I made this one super special. I sincerely hope you enjoy. Also an awesome shoutout to LeelaSmall, for making the worlds awesomest fanart of Sky Falls! You rock! Check it out at LeelaSmall twitter!**

 **Important things for this chapter, after this, things are much more flexible, so throw absolutely every idea you have my way for the rest of the story! Shoutouts to any ides I use! Also, if you haven't already, be sure to check out the poll on my profile, it** **will** **affect the outcome for this story. Anyway, with all that said, ENJOY THE FINALE!]**

The turn of the key in the ignition forced the car to rumble to life. Mabel sat quietly in shotgun, while Ford rested into the driver's seat. As Mabel looked into the old man's eyes, she could see a mix of feelings she didn't understand. Anger? Discomfort? …Guilt?

It took her a moment, but suddenly she came to a realization. Not only had Ford not driven a car in nearly thirty years, but this was his brother's car. The Stanley-mobile. Ford meddled with the gear shift for a while, muttering to himself about manual versus automatic.

"…Grunkle Ford… are you ok..?" Mabel asked him. Ford coughed, and sighed heavily. "I'm sorry Mabel. It's just…" he stammered. Mabel shook her head, and hugged him tightly. She understood. Ford choked in anxiety for a moment, but then smiled warmly. He patted his six-fingered hand on her hair, and looked out into the horizon with renewed vigor. Grabbing the steering wheel, he was about to press down on the gas petal, when suddenly they heard shouting coming from behind them.

"Oh no ya' don't! Not on my watch Poindexter!" Stan exclaimed sternly. He looked into his brother's stoic face, the conviction in his eyes _. Same old story Sixer… just like when we were kids. You never knew when to quit did you…?_ Stanley sighed, "…Get in the back."

Ford looked surprised for a moment, expecting much worse. He turned to look questioningly at Mabel, who replied with an empathetic nod. Ford slowly opened the car door, and stepped out. "Stanley-" Ford hesitated, before Stan cut him off. "Can it, Sixer. I don't need you getting yourself or my great niece killed. I drive". He said firmly.

Ford gave him one last sorrowful glance, before sitting silently in the backseat while Stan and Mabel put on their seatbelts. The amount of dirt, grime, and questionable food stains in the car were a bit alarming to Ford, but he didn't mention it. It actually… almost felt homey. _Reminds me of Stan's bedroom when we were children…_

Stan exhaled heavily, and kept his gaze focused on the road. "Alright half-pint, where to?" he asked Mabel earnestly. Mabel simply looked out silently into the horizon, before looking at her great uncle with an intensity Stan didn't realize she was capable of.

"Northwest Mansion. **_Step on it_**." She said harshly.

Stan's eyes narrowed into a devious smirk. "With pleasure…" He said, switching to drive and slamming the gas petal. To say Ford was adamant in his protests against Stan's driving was an understatement. "I said **_you_** aren't getting anyone killed Sixer! Welcome to Sunday!" Stan yelled laughing, switching to full gear.

The constant rocking of the beat up car nearly made Ford puke, however Mabel remained steadfast in her seat. She only had one thing on her mind. _I'm going to get my brother back…I promise…_

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The time it took to reach their final destination was remarkably short; however considering Stan's insistence to drive _through_ the gnome forest, Mabel was almost surprised they hadn't arrived sooner. As Stan brought the car to a screeching halt, she couldn't help but notice everyone in the surrounding area was awestruck by their appearance. She couldn't blame them, they had come in a bright red van at fifty miles an hour, as well as Ford writhing in the backseat. As soon as they came to a stop, he slinked out of the car and began kissing the solid ground for dear life.

As Mabel began to exit, Stan stopped her with one hand of her shoulder. "Mabel… I just want to say… take care of my brother, will ya? Sometimes he can get in over his head…" he said, a weak smile on his face. Mabel smiled back, "I will. I promise". She then ran off, helping Ford to his feet. She looked back, and noticed a small red cap plastered into the front tire. _Oh god I really don't want to know…_ she thought. As she nearly carried Ford over to the front gate, they were stopped by a rather large man in a guard outfit.

"I'm sorry, but Mr. Northwest is not accepting riff-raff at this hour. Try coming back… never" He said impatiently. Mabel's eyes narrowed, "Hey dillweed, check the list. We're family of Dipper Pines" she replied angrily.

The guard barred his teeth, clearly frustrated. "I SAID BEAT IT TRAMP!" he yelled. Suddenly Ford's eyes went wide, and he bolted up within whispering distance of the man. The tone in his voice turned deadly, "She said… **_check the fucking list_** …" he seethed. The guard was ready to snap this old fool's neck, when suddenly he felt something small and metallic touch his skin. He looked down, only to see a small 10mm pistol with a silencer aimed at his chest.

The guard simply laughed, "Are you really that fucking stupid…? I'd like to see you try-" he said, before hearing a small click. He became dead silent, and looked down to see the crimson red staining his shirt. Mabel's hands shot to her mouth, but Ford spoke softly, "That missed the closest major artery by two millimeters. You'll live. For now. So you either let us in, or the next one doesn't miss…" he threatened, cocking the gun for a second attempt.

The guard never ran so fast in his entire life. Ford smiled, and tucked the pistol back into his jacket pocket. Mabel caught her breath, and slowly followed her Grunkle inside the glorious mansion. She had to admit, Pacifica's parents sure didn't disappoint. There were governors, dignitaries, and royalty from across the globe attending the extravagant party. A ten layer cake was stacked in the center of the ballroom, adorned with royal purple and vibrant red décor.

Just as they walked through the front door, another man barged out, clearly upset and frustrated. He didn't even seem to realize brushing past Ford, hitting him in the shoulder. Ford turned to look at the man, from behind he could only see his suit and top hat. "Hey buddy, don't you know where you're going?" Ford asked sarcastically. The man froze in his tracks, and even though Ford couldn't see his face, somehow he knew he was smirking. The man let out a deep breath, before replying slyly,"…Oh…I know **lots** of things…"

He continued outside, walking off into what seemed like the forest. Ford shook his head. There was something incredibly familiar about him…

But that was beside the point. He needed to find Samson, as quickly as he could. Ford didn't put it past him to be a thief; on top of the fact that Sam was so far the only person he knew who had unrestricted access to his study. He gazed over the room, searching for the signature dark jacket.

Mabel on the other hand was out searching desperately for her brother. She couldn't well see above the crowd, instead vainly weaving through bodies, too scared to call out for him. After a while, she sighed in defeat, taking a seat by the refreshment table. She reached over to grab some imported Hawaiian fruit punch, when something caught the corner of her eye.

She looked down, and saw four wrappers for the crab cake pastries. At first, she didn't pay it much mind, but then Mabel realized something. _Out of every single person here… only one would ever just leave wrappers on the floor… Dipper._ She thought _, …but Dipper hates crab… why would he even want that? And have four…?_

"Something on your mind?" she heard a voice question to her, and was surprised to see Samson… in his Captain Conspiracy outfit no less. "Sam… Grunkle Ford says you're in big trouble…" Mabel stammered. Samson merely smiled, and sat down next to her. "Yes, it seems like I'm always in trouble with your uncle, doesn't it?" he asked half-jokingly.

"Sammy… where's Dipper? I need to find him. It's really important" Mabel asked sincerely. For once… Samson didn't seem to vex at his nickname. In fact, he smiled warmly. "I can take you to your brother. But before I do… can you please tell Ford to put away the gun he's aiming at my face? Wouldn't want to make a mess of things…" He said, turning to see Ford standing behind them, pistol in hand. Mabel's eyes shot in fear, but Samson remained stoic and collected.

"You sir… have a lot of explaining to do…" Ford seethed, slowly lowering his sidearm regretfully. "Where is the jar of bog spider silk? All these thirty years, you seem to be the only other person able to get in my very _personal_ room… do you even know how dangerous that stuff is!?" Ford practically yelled.

Samson stared at him intensely. "I happen to know **exactly** how dangerous it is. More than you do. That's why I hid it. In a place no one will ever take it…" he said ominously. "You… you can't just steal my property and think you can get away with it…" Ford stammered in anger.

"For your information, wise guy, in case you didn't know… That silk happens to be a very potent counter curse to your ever so prized bubble of Bill-proofing." Samson said coldly. Ford's expression turned from anger to fear. " **Tell. Me. Where. It. Is**." He persisted. Samson merely shook his head, "The less people know, the safer we all are…"

Ford's cheeks were turning bright red. "Oh, is that so? So tell me, what happens when Bill tortures or possesses the information out of you? We're all dead". That made Samson chuckle lightly, "Actually… Bill knows exactly where it is" he replied.

Sam barely had time to breath before Ford brought the pistol up to his forehead, making Mabel shriek. Samson however remained completely unnerved, sitting there with the roguish smirk still plastered on his face. "It's being guarded, by someone **very** trustworthy. Someone even Bill doesn't have power over" Samson replied. Ford fumed, "How can you say that? Do you know what happens when bog spider silk comes in contact with human skin!?"

Samson sighed frustratingly, "Yes. I know. You really gotta trust me on this one Ford…" Samson said, looking him in the eyes. Ford stood there for what seemed like hours, before finally lowering the gun and pocketing it, giving Mabel the chance to catch her breath. "Samson… you know what it means if you're wrong about this…" Ford said tensely. "Trust me Ford… I know exactly what it means…" he replied in an almost bitter tone.

All three took a moment to catch their breath, before Mabel spoke up. "Sam, I need to see Dipper. Please…" she begged. Samson closed his eyes and smiled. "…Follow me". Sam led them across the room to the large winding stairs, and up to the second floor. As they walked across the hallway, Samson stopped, and motioned to a large door. Mabel edged closer, square with the door's frame… grabbed the door handle…

And it was locked.

Mabel was about to fume, before Sam started laughing. He reached in his pocket, and removed the amulet from its confines. His eyes glowed blue, and his cocky smirk returned to his face. With a snap of his fingers, a metallic click was heard from the lock. Mabel took a breath… and slowly opened the door.

And instantly went wide eyed. Pacifica Northwest was squirming on the floor, her own brother pressing against her intimately, kissing her neck, hugging her tightly. _Well, they certainly got down to business…_ Sam thought. In the brief moment Pacifica opened her eyes, she instantly froze in fear. "Dipper, DIPPER!" she stammered. Dipper looked at her confused, but seeing the expression on her face, turned around, and nearly had a heart attack in terror.

"…Dipper…" Mabel stammered. No one spoke for a long time, until Dipper suddenly had an expression on his face that could only be described as wrath. "What are you doing here…" he asked seething in rage. Mabel turned to fear, cowering behind her Grunkle. "I…I just…" she cried.

Samson slowly coughed, earning everyone's attention. Finally taking a second glance, Pacifica gasped, and couldn't find words to speak. _…Sam… it's you…_ "Dipper… it's time to come home…" Samson said, giving him a certain look only Dipper understood. He clenched his fists in anger, cursing under his breath. He then stormed furiously out of the room, barely acknowledging his sister as he passed. "Let's go" he wreathed.

As he walked down the hall, Mabel looked up at Samson with tears in her eyes. It was the only time Pacifica had ever seen the happy go lucky girl cry. And not only cry… sob. Bawl. Samson looked seriously at Ford. "Take the girl. Meet me downstairs…" he said, giving a sideways glance at Pacifica, "…I'll be right with you". Ford nodded, and held Mabel's hand, leading her away from the room.

Samson slowly closed the door, and with a snap of his finger's, the metallic click locked them in. Pacifica was terrified, but stood up and approached him. "See? Now wasn't that worth it?" Sam asked slyly. Pacifica nodded slowly, and did something neither of them expected. She hugged Samson, tears in her eyes. "…Th-Thank you…" she stammered. Samson smiled. "No need to thank anyone… you just have to keep your half of the deal…" he said cunningly.

Pacifica backed off a moment, but nodded her head. This was what she agreed to. She sat down on her bed, Samson beside her. She remained quiet, while Samson pulled the empty jar out of his pocket… as well as Dipper's silver knife.

Pacifica shuddered at the sight. "…Will this hurt...?" she asked, terrified. Samson looked into her eyes deeply, and slowly nodded his head. He held her hand out over the open jar, and made a slow, deep incision across her palm. Pacifica trembled in pain, tears forming in her eyes, but remained quiet as best she could. Samson was very delicate in his work, making sure not to sever any major nerve clusters. Hot, crimson blood began dripping into the glass jar.

Samson focused intensely, and pressed down harder with the knife. Blood poured out of the open wound, Pacifica trying her absolute best not to scream. Slowly, eventually, the glass jar became full. Samson wiped the blood off of the knife, and secured the lid, before returning both to his jacket pocket. He looked over at this frail, panting girl sitting before him.

"You did well… most people begin to feel lightheaded after losing that much blood…" he said, trying to be sincere. Pacifica breathed heavily, tears still streaming down her face. "…Why…Why…" she couldn't muster the words, but Samson understood. "I know it seems obscure… but believe me when I say… this is the key to everything. Its importance is immeasurable. I am so proud of you…" he said, smiling warmly. He looked down at her bleeding hand, and closed his eyes.

He slowly removed her other hand from the wound, and waved his own over it. A brilliant light emanated from his palm, blinding Pacifica momentarily. As the light died, Samson opened his eyes, and wiped the blood off the surface of her hand. Pacifica blinked, and stared at her palm. The cut had absolutely vanished, and the pain was nonexistent. "…H-How…" she stammered.

Samson was silent, and stood up. As he began to walk out of the room, Pacifica finally found her voice. "Please… What are you…?" she pleaded. Samson stopped, and pondered for a moment, before replying. "If God can die … I'm the one who kills him…" He said almost mournfully.

He walked out the door, leaving Pacifica alone in her room, with nothing but the best memory of her life…

Samson walked down the stairs quietly, pondering what he had just done. _You know what you're going to use that for. I really hope it's worth it to you…_ he thought, _…These kids… these brilliant and caring and_ … he trailed off _, …I'm sorry. I wish there was another way._

He exited the Northwest mansion, questioning the apparent bloodstains on the floor. He looked towards the parking area to see Mabel and Dipper yelling adamantly. Ford was sitting in the backseat, neither him nor Stanley wanting to get in the middle of this, but the look of absolute sorrow on Stanley's face was almost heartbreaking.

Samson stepped out to confront the twins, trying to ignore their argument. "You know, Ford was right! Trust NO ONE!" Dipper yelled. "OH I'M SORRY, WHO WAS GETTING THEIR 'TRUST' ALL OVER PACIFICA!" Mabel yelled back. Samson frowned. "Dipper, get in the car. We can talk about this later. Mabel… I think you and Stan need to talk…" he said sincerely.

Dipper scoffed, but slowly walked over to Lazy Susan's car. Mabel let out a single tear, before running off to her Grunkles. Samson looked at Stanley, and mouthed to meet him at the shack. Stanley nodded, and revved his car's engine. As Samson slid into the driver's seat of Susan's car, he looked over at Dipper. _Maybe… Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I'm sorry Dipper…_

They were both silent the entire ride home. Dipper occasionally looked out the window into the endless woods. _I wish I was there…_ he thought. When the two cars pulled into the Mystery Shack, Dipper walked inside with haste. "Let's do this…" he said forcefully.

The five entered the house, the twins refusing to acknowledge each other, as they all make their way down to the basement. The room was filled with blue light, and the portal was at maximum capacity. "Finally…" Samson praised under his breath.

Ford marveled at the technological feat they had accomplished. "Hey… Ford, Stanley…" Samson asked slowly. Both Grunkle's turned to him, adjusting their glasses. "It's time. I need to ask you both something important…" he said with their full attention. "…When I go through the portal… I was hoping Dipper could come with me." He said. Dipper smiled broadly, while all three other Pines seethed in anger.

"Absolutely not Samson! We don't know how dangerous that can be, I won't risk it!" Ford yelled. Samson sighed, "Ford, if you really think about it, when have I ever let you down, huh? Every time you think something goes wrong I pull us through. We both know this never would have happened without me. Plus… it seems like a little time away could be good… for both of them" Samson said. The twins simply crossed their arms.

Ford was about to speak, but stopped. Samson… was right. He really didn't have an argument. He looked at his brother, who begrudgingly gave him an approving nod. Dipper walked up next to Samson, and faced the trio. "I'm going." He said firmly. Mabel looked heartbroken, and ran off to the control room. Ford looked at Dipper, and slowly nodded. Sam smiled, while Ford ran up to his study to grab something.

Samson and Dipper stood at the entrance of the portal, staring into the endless void. All of space and time lay out before them. Samson turned to look at Stanley, and gave him a nod. Stanley smiled and nodded back. "Hey Dipstick, If I don't see you for another thirty years… send me a postcard." Stanley said. Dipper looked at him, and nodded, smiling.

Samson spoke up, "We have five days… You need to reopen the portal on day four. If we don't return… don't come after us. Understood?" Stanley chuckled, "In your dreams. Family comes first. Always."

Samson sighed, and was about to give him the signal, when suddenly they heard Ford call from behind them, "Wait, just one second!" he said, running up to the portal. _Oh, what now!?_ Samson mentally fumed, but Ford merely walked up to them and spoke, "Dipper, you're going to need these…" he said, holding out his three journals. Dipper smiled, and hugged him. "Thank you Grunkle Ford, I'll put them to good use. I promise." He said pridefully. Ford sighed, and was about to walk away, when Samson stopped him.

"Stanford… that reminds me. I have something to give you…" Samson hesitated, but pulled something out of his jacket pocket. Upon closer inspection, Ford realized what it was.

A red leather bound book, with a golden six fingered hand emblem seared into it, a large number 4 clearly printed in the center.

Ford held the book in trembling hands, finally looking up at Samson. "…Thank you…" he whispered. Sam smiled, "Don't mention it. See you on the other side Fordsy…" He said heartwarmingly.

Ford then stood beside his brother, holding firmly onto the master control lever. Samson and Dipper joined hands, and Sam shot up his arm, giving the two a thumbs up. At that, Stan and Ford smiled at each other, and pulled the lever as hard as they could. The room suddenly became enveloped in a light that would put heaven to shame. Dipper grasped his hand tighter in Samson's hold, and the two stepped forward.

Just as suddenly the light died, and when the Stans opened their eyes, they realized they were the only two in the room. Mabel had watched the whole thing from the control room, and there was only one thought on her mind.

 _Please keep him safe Sammy…_

Ford sighed, and jumped a little when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Stanley's smiling face, "What did I tell you Sixer… You did good…" he said before proceeding to hug his brother. Ford stood there anxiously for just a moment, before smiling himself, returning the hug warmly. After a while, Ford walked out of the room, but not before giving his brother a knowing look. _This… This is good. I did good…_

Ford took the elevator up to his private study, trying not to mind the empty spot as he closed the cabinet. He sat down at his personal desk, admiring the pristine quality of the new Journal #4. He picked up his favorite pen, and opened the first page. Only to drop his pen in shock.

On the first page of the front cover, printed in large letters:

 **-Property of Samael-**

He stared at the signature for a very long while. After the initial shock, he looked to the next page, where Sam had written a note apparently addressed to him…

 _-Hey Fordsy. Glad you didn't open this while we were still at the portal, that would have certainly been awkward. You wanted answers? Here they are. No more secrets. No more lies. I'll see you all soon. Take care. And P.S., You'll probably want to keep this on the low down until I return. For Mabel's sake. Good luck Ford._

 _Yours truly,_

 _-The Impossible Man_

Ford read and reread the message several times. _How… Samael? How could he have known I wouldn't look at it when he gave it to me!? WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING!?_ Ford mentally screamed. He felt like he was about to have a migraine, until he turned the page. Diagrams, drawings, side notes, explanations, the works. It was all there.

 _But… but these… not real… that's impossible…_ Ford thought, before realizing _…But he's the impossible man…_

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 **END OF ACT I**

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Z kzxg drgs z svzeb kirxv…  
Z xzg drgs nzmb nrxv…  
Z kfmrhsnvmg dlihv gszm wvzgs…  
Z wvnlm lm srh urmzo yivzgs…


	23. Reverse and Reverse

**[PLEASE READ: Welcome back guys! SUPER IMPORTANT thing going on. I'm collaborating with a bunch of amazing fans of When The Sky Falls to make a compilation of fanart! Once completed, I will be compiling everyone's awesome drawings into a youtube music video! PLEASE let me know if you are interested in this event by PMing me! Subsequently, I'll also be posting a poll on what song to use, so if you have any good suggestions please comment them!**

 **One thing, for those of you unaware, welcome to reverse falls, where up is down and good is sadistically evil… HOPE YOU ENJOY XD**

 **Anyway, as you are all waiting for, WELCOME TO ACT TWO!]**

Dipper Pines woke up that bright summer morning with a gleam in his eye. _It's happened_. He could feel it. He looked over at his sleeping sister, breathing softly on her bed. _If only she knew…_

He'd tried his hardest to conceal it from her, but Mabel always seemed to know what was on her brother's mind. So, to make sure his journey went along uninterrupted, he'd slipped her a sleeping potion the night before. _She'll be out like a light…_

Dipper looked down at her, so peaceful… so innocent. He almost stifled a laugh. It would be more believable if Mabel refused to sleep with some of her knives each night. She would swear she loved them all equally, though from Dipper's perspective, she seemed to hold favorites. He could see the edge of the blade seemed to be tinted a deep red. _She never did clean up after herself. How many times must I tell her, work comes before play…_

He slowly got dressed in his signature teal suit and deep blue cloak. He held tightly onto the amulet tied around his neck. Wherever he went, no matter what he did, that amulet never left his side. The same went for his twin sister. Dipper somewhat admired the simplicity of her amulet, attached to the hairband that she rarely, if ever, removed.

He smiled deviously, and grabbed a small pack from underneath his bed. He took one last look at his sibling, before heading out of the Tent of Telepathy. "Sleep soundly, my dear sister…" he whispered under his breath, as he began walking out into the forest.

The provisions he'd packed were light, only a few slices of french bread and fairy jam. His own personal recipe. At first glance, Dipper hadn't assumed that a fairy's blood would have tasted as sweet as it did. Besides being an excellent catalyst for some of his spells, it had a sort of peppermint-honey tang to it. He was sure his newfound guest would enjoy.

As Dipper walked through the shadowy forest, he could sence the thousands of small eyes watching him. But not with intrigue. With fear. He was Dipper Pines. Even some of the trees knew his name. The forest fell to silence around him as he strode through.

As he walked, Dipper sensed movement out of the corner of his eye. Two gnomes fighting over a toadstool, neither having noticed him yet. With a quick flick of the wrist, he sent two daggers flying clean into their backs. Dipper smiled to himself. _My aim is getting better…_

He walked over to the small corpses, and decided to sit down for a while. He graciously constructed an elegant table out of a nearby tree, as well as a plate from a nearby river stone. He placed the two bodies on the table, side by side. With a snap of his fingers, his hand became alight, and he began to slow roast the fresh kills.

With a wave of his hand, the gnome's bodies jolted, before having their skeletons forcibly removed through them. Dipper casually grafted the bones into a fork, and wiped the hot blood from the daggers, before cutting off a slice of arm. As he brought the cooked meat to his lips, he chewed slowly, savoring the taste. It was during this time that he contemplated to himself how truly lucky he and his sister were to come to Gravity Falls. It had seemed like such a lifetime ago…

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The twins always knew they were a little different, even when they were young. When they were eight, they became obsessed with violent crime TV shows. Their parents had assumed they wanted to become police when they grew up. Oh, how they couldn't be more wrong.

As they grew older, The twins became increasingly distant from their parents, and much closer with each other. They caught fireflies at night in airtight jars, and would bet on how long they would all last. However, none of what they had seen caused their parents too much distress. Not until one fateful day.

When they were ten, the twins were running their way home after shoplifting a candy store. They laughed as the store owner chased them down the street. Suddenly, Dipper had an idea. They quickly ducked behind the nearest trash can, just barely out of sight. "Where did you bandits go you little-" the clerk yelled, before Dipper stuck his leg out as the old man ran by.

He cried out as he fell, and the twins were waiting for the hilarious wailing, but none came. In fact, the man was silent. Dipper pouted, and peaked his head out, but what he saw amazed him. The old man had fallen forward, right into the brick corner of a neighbor's house. His neck was bent at an irregular angle, and blood was pouring, no, gushing out of his forehead. Dipper grabbed his sister, forcing her up.

Upon seeing the man, Mabel's eyes went wide. She knelt beside the man, ever so slowly. She turned up towards her brother, looking deeply into his eyes, before the two of them burst out in laughing. They were almost in tears from how hard they had to catch their breath. "Dear brother, how do you always find the flawless peak to my every day?" She asked. Dipper smiled, "With absolute perfection…" he replied, pressing a hand on her cheek.

Mabel smiled and laughed, and turned once again to see the motionless old man beside her. Suddenly, a dark feeling came over her. A primal hunger, begging for release. She carefully inspected the ragged cut on his forehead, still bleeding profusely. Slowly, she pressed two fingers onto him, coating them in thick, hot blood. Mabel stared at her fingers longingly, before placing them delicately in her mouth.

Dipper watched his sister with burning intrigue. She didn't seem too repulsed by it. From what he'd read, blood was bitter, and has the distinct taste of metal. But the look in Mabel's eyes… she wanted more. Dipper held back his messy hair, trying to figure out the best course of action. Mabel looked up at him, and had an idea.

"You know… you should keep it like that. It really suits you. I can finally see your birthmark without pulling your hair" Mabel laughed. Dipper looked into a piece of nearby glass _. She's right… this isn't half bad…_ he realized. Suddenly he felt Mabel's hands running through his hair, coated and sticky. He shouted in protest, but once she let go, he looked back in the glass. His hair was slicked back, his birthmark of the big dipper clearly shown.

He turned around to inquire his sister, but what he saw made him skip a beat. Her hands… they were sickening red. Sudden realization dawned on him, and he placed a finger on the roof of his own head. When he drew back, Dipper saw he too was stained crimson. He looked at his sister long and hard, before they both burst into another torrent of laughter.

"Truly… a stroke of brilliance, my sweet sister" Dipper said after he calmed down. "Likewise, dear brother. You've certainly outdone yourself this time" Mabel replied. It wasn't until they heard the police sirens around them that they finally came back to reality. Two squad cars drove up and stationed at the corner, effectively trapping them.

A large man stepped out of the driver's seat, and drew a taser out of his holster. "FREEZE! ON THE GROUND NOW!" he yelled, while additional police force exited their cars. Dipper darted a look at Mabel, and for the first time in his life, he saw something new in his sister. Fear.

Dipper stayed quiet, his hands behind his head. Only then did he realize he coated his fingers in blood. He sighed angrily, getting on his knees, while Mabel slowly did the same. The cop grabbed them both by their wrists and threw them into the back of his squad car. Dipper looked out the window to see the rest of them putting up caution tape. _So much trouble for such an insignificant life…_ he thought.

They were silent the entire ride to the police station, all except for the driver. He kept going on and on about the "atrocities" they committed. Dipper paid him no mind. He was more concerned about his sister. She never showed weakness. She never let anyone get the better of her. If you take away everything that defines a person… _…well that's enough to make anyone dangerous…_ Dipper realized.

Once they arrived at the police station, the first thing Dipper noticed was their parents' car in the front parking lot. As they entered the building, they were immediately swarmed with yelling and accusations. Dipper built up the courage to look his father in the eye, only to be slapped hard in the face. _Oh… you are going to regret that…_ he thought.

The officer brought them into a small room with their parents in tow. He then sat them down forcefully in large metal chairs, with a state attorney and their folks on the other side of a large table. The attorney looked at a list of papers in his hands and adjusted his glasses. He spoke softly, yet firm. "…Dipper and Mabel Pines. I'm sure you both know why you're here..." he said, measuring their reactions.

"…A neighbor of the candy store reported a burglary, and as such, we pulled up the local camera feeds, in order to get a face to match with the culprit. What we found happened to be much more… gruesome… than we anticipated. As such, we did a full background check on your parents, to see if social services need be involved. Although, besides a speeding ticket or two, your parents are completely clean. Friends vouch for their character. Therefore, it's simply the two of you. Normally in situations such as these, both children are separated, in order for you not to feed off of each other's… tendencies… However, considering your current psychological health, or lack thereof, we concluded spending time apart from possibly the only other person who can understand you could be catastrophically detrimental."

Dipper never broke his stare. He wanted to know where this was going, and fast. If Mabel broke free, he didn't want to be anywhere near the resulting fallout. However, what this man was proposing seemed to hold a bit of weight to it, so he actually began paying attention.

"Inevitably, some decisions needed to be made. Abiding state law, we're shipping you both of to live with a distant family member…" This peaked the twin's interest. As far as they knew, all the rest of their family were dead, besides their insane great uncle Stanfo- "You'll be living with your great uncle Stanford Pines in the quaint town of Gravity Falls, Oregon for the next few years" the attorney finished.

The twin's mouths went agape. _Surely they can't be serious…?_ Their mother closed her eyes. "This is for your own good…" She said, suddenly breaking down in tears. Mabel almost scoffed. _Absolutely pathetic. At least banish us with dignity…_

Their father then spoke himself, "The police there have been informed, and will be keeping tabs on you. This is no vacation. If you so much as break someone's pencil, you're going to jail. Understood?" he fumed. The twins sighed, "Yes father…" they spoke in unison. He sighed, "And for the love of Christ, wash that man's blood out of your hair…" their father visibly shuddered, escorting his sobbing wife outside.

Once they left, a staff member took Dipper out to the washroom. He closed the door slowly, and took a deep breath. He looked at himself in the mirror, and had to admit, he admired his sister's handiwork. Regrettably, he turned on the sink faucet, and ducked his head under the freezing water. Suddenly, clear seeped to pink, and then to red. He stayed there for a good five minutes, until he felt he finally got all the blood out of his hair. Back to his old shaggy-haired self.

He stepped outside, and he could almost see Mabel pouting, however she lost the look at a second glance. The cop from before them came into the room, and escorted the twins into the parking lot. There they got into a small cab, and Dipper gave one last look at his parents _. I… I'm sorry…_

Neither Dipper nor Mabel said a word the entire time there. However, Dipper slowly reached over, and grasped Mabel's hand tightly in his own. Ten hours, one motel, and four stops later, They finally saw it. "Welcome to Gravity Falls". As they continued driving through town, Dipper constantly made mental notes on security camera locations and back alleyways.

Suddenly, the cab came to a screeching halt. The twins looked out the side window, and there it was. The Tent of Telepathy; Their great uncle Stanford's home. The one who was clinically insane, on account of belief in fairies and goblins and ghouls. Dipper scoffed at the idea. While he and his sister both had an undying love for magic and trickery, they knew the difference between fantasy and reality. They each slowly stepped out of the car, getting a good look around. Suddenly a puff of smoke appeared on the grass, and an old man in a turquoise suit jumped out of the seemingly nothingness, sporting an 8-ball cane, an eyepatch over his thick glasses, and a fez with a strange claw symbol on it.

"WELCOME TO THE TENT OF TELEPATHY NIBLINGS!" their uncle proclaimed. _Well at least he has a good sense of style…_ Dipper concluded. It nearly matched his and Mabel's signature teal outfits. Dipper nodded to the man, while Mabel simply stood, arms crossed. "I know why you two are here, but we're going to forget about that for now. Ix-nay on the Urder-may, if you will" Stan laughed. "Come on, let me show you your rooms!" Stan said happily.

Mabel and Dipper groaned as they followed the jovial man into the large tent. Upon entrance, they came upon a grand stage, big enough for half the townsfolk if everyone sat together. Backstage, there was an actual living quarters, with a nice kitchen, living room, as well as master and guest bedroom. "Don't worry about your stuff, you're parents are mailing them to me. They'll be here in three to five business days. Probably." He chuckled.

Mabel sat down on her empty bed, seemingly depressed. Dipper watched her from the doorway, feeling helpless. He walked into the bathroom to wash his eyes, but something caught the corner of his eye. A bottle of 'Stunning Old Men' Magazine's Shmexy Hair Gel: "Put the D back in 60". Dipper almost puked in his mouth at the slogan, but then he had an idea. He slowly squeezed some into his hand, and began work on his hair. After just a few minutes, it was back to its former glory, his birthmark showing proudly.

Suddenly he turned around. Giving his sibling one last glance, he dashed out the front door, without telling anyone he'd left. Dipper took a long walk through the forest, contemplating everything that had happened. He almost wanted to scream. _How could this happen to us!?_ He fumed. He turned and punched the nearest tree as hard as he could, his knuckle connecting with a sharp metal clang.

As the pain in his hand subsided, Dipper's eyes shot open. _Trees don't go clang…_ he realized. He wiped the dust off of the place his wrist had impacted. Seemingly, there was a strange marking on the apparent metal plate. A large crossed out eye. Mesmerized, he slowly opened the hatch, only to realize the inside of the tree was hollow. There was a small lever on the inside, and despite the little voice in his head screaming not to, he instinctively pulled it.

Suddenly a light glowed brightly behind him. Dipper turned on a dime, and before him; a large, ominous rock, as well as the same crossed eye symbol glowing brightly red. Moments later, a very large panel in the ground below it opened up, and a large open stone box raised itself from the earth. Again, the same symbol was found on the side, but that was besides Dipper's attention. Inside the box was a nearly perfect human skeleton, save for a small hole in his skull plate.

Dipper stumbled backwards, not knowing what do to. After the initial shock, He stood up, and looked upon the mysterious figure. Looking over his skeletal appearance, there was one thing that was possibly even more mysterious. Clutched tightly in his arms was a red, leather-bound book with a bright gold handprint in the center, a number 2 clearly drawn in black ink. Upon closer inspection, He also noticed that the golden hand had not five, but six fingers…

Dipper's confusion was replaced with a devious smile. Very slowly, he removed the book from the figure's skeletal clutches. Taking the book, he was about to flip the switch back, but he couldn't help but notice the things in the pages. He then realized it was not simply a book, but instead a journal, supposedly depicting different creatures in Gravity Falls. Wild, absolutely impossible creatures. The kinds of things…

 _…The kinds of things great uncle Stanford always talked about…_ he realized. Suddenly, as he flipped a page, a small silver knife slipped out between the pages. Dipper cried out as it cut across his palm, falling to the floor. Dipper simply stood there a moment, trying to stop the bleeding, when he had the imminent feeling he wasn't alone. Almost instantly, what seemed like a thousand fireflies flew around him, and one landed on his bleeding palm. He was absolutely awestruck when he realized, it was no firefly, it almost looked human, but it had wings…

…fairies…

Dipper was completely speechless as the fairy began to fly around his injured hand, sprinkling what seemed to be golden dust. Upon closer inspection, he realized that the cut once deep in his hand simply no longer existed, and the pain had completely subsided. As the fairies began to fly away, Dipper actually smiled. "…Thank you…" he said softly.

He looked down at the silver blade at his feet. As he picked it up, inspecting it carefully, he admired the intricate craftsmanship. _I'm keeping this…_ he finalized. He then loosely shook the journal, only to make sure nothing else fell out of it. However, one thing did. A marine blue amulet, shimmering in the light. Dipper couldn't stop looking at it.

He put both trinkets in his pocket for the time being, and looked at the grave longingly. _I swear… I'll find you. I'll repay you for this…_ he vowed. He slowly walked home, looking through the different pages. One page on the amulet described it as a power source for psychic abilities. _Fascinating…_ Dipper thought. Another page depicted a strange triangle in the center of a large wheel. Another of a gnome, apparently named "Shmebulock Sr". Finally, Dipper came to a very interesting spell, for duplication and bonding…

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Yes, it had seemed like so long ago. But they had been living in Gravity Falls for nearly two years, and the entire world seemed to so much more mysterious than Dipper had ever imagined. As he finished his gnome steak, he reminisced on the time he showed Mabel all of it. Of course, she didn't believe him at first, until he showed her the power of the amulet, and gave her one he managed to duplicate as a birthday gift.

Mabel took to her newfound power quickly, terrorizing people for laughs and fun. Eventually, however, their uncle perceived that they enjoyed magic more than the average Joe. Soon enough there were signs up, "The Telepathy Twins! Coming This Summer!" It wasn't until their first show that the siblings realized two things. The magic of the amulets were amplified when used together, and for once, they were being loved for terrorizing people. Paying people at that. In fact, the town loved them so much, the local police eventually 'lost track' of their parole forms.

Dipper smiled. _Such good times…_ he thought. He slowly stood up, and with a flick of his wrist, everything went back to as it was. Dipper calmly sighed, and looked upon the large rock he was sitting beside. "Well, my friend… it seems we have some new guests. Goodbye for now. Just rest…" Dipper said calmly. As he began walking away from the grave, he turned, and looked at the words. The clear words he had carved in nearly a year ago. He'd kept his promise, and his debt had been paid. Written just below the crossed out eye was a single sentence:

'Here lies Fiddleford Hadron McGucket, may he **never** be forgotten."


	24. Trust No One

**[Hey guys! Not much for today's AN, although I did want to say a few things. Probably the most important response to me is the comments, especially new ideas. So please write down what you think, It really makes me feel happy just to see that number go up. Other than that, I'm accepting all applications for the fanart music video, in case you're interested in participating. Let me know what you think, see you in a few days!]**

Mabel lay in her bed, tears in her eyes. In the hours since Samson and Dipper had left, she was completely torn in her emotions. Stanley had tried comforting her as much as he humanly could, but there was nothing he could say that could fix what had happened. One thing was for sure though, the Dipper he had seen that day was not the Dipper he had grown to love over that fateful summer. Something was wrong.

Ford, as far as anyone was concerned, hadn't left his study in hours. Mabel had eventually gotten worried, and taken the elevator down to his room. The first thing she noticed that put her on guard was the fact that the door was slightly ajar. Ford always locked his door, he was too paranoid not to.

She peeked inside, and was taken aback. Ford was scribbling mindlessly at thousands of papers, drawings, and notes pinned all across the room. She couldn't clearly see what they were, but at the terror and franticness in Ford's eyes, she knew it had to be important. Worried but afraid, she left without a word, and headed up to her room.

That had been nearly twelve hours ago, and Ford was still nowhere to be seen. Mabel silently prayed, something she hadn't done in years, not since her pet goldfish died when she was eight. She begged for Dipper's safety, and wished with all her heart that he would simply forgive her.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Stanley had left to go buy groceries, and Ford was seemingly in no condition to pay piece of mind. Mabel reluctantly got up, and headed towards the door solemnly. She turned the door handle, only to see a smiling Pacifica Northwest waiting patiently on the other side. "Oh hi Mabel! Is your brother home?" she asked innocently.

All at once, all the twisted feelings bottling up inside Mabel sprang loose. "SHUT UP YOU SLUT! THIS IS ALL YOUR FUALT!" she yelled bawling. Pacifica looked horrified and awestruck, and Mabel threw herself on the couch, sobbing loudly.

Pacifica was speechless. No one had _ever_ said anything like that to her. "Wha- Why!?" she asked, the hurt apparent in her voice.

Mabel looked over to her, tears in her eyes. "Dipper… he's… he's gone". Pacifica was still hurt, but now really confused. "Gone? Gone where?"

Mabel could barely hold her gaze. "…He- He left with Sam. They're in another dimension, or whatever. I don't care where they are, all I know is that Dipper chose to spend his last day with you. Not me. He wouldn't even look at me…" she cried.

Pacifica stood there, a lump in her throat forming quickly. _Oh my god… Mabel…_

Mabel noticed her seemingly crestfallen expression, "Don't act like you care. I saw what you were doing to him last night. He was loving you. You probably drugged him or something. I'm surprised you still had your top on…" she wept, "…Just… just go. Leave. I never want to see you again…"

Pacifica didn't know what to say. There was nothing she could say. She could only stand there, and watch the poor girl cry…

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There were approximately 1,300,000 words in the English language, and yet Dipper couldn't find a way to string any of them together in a way to describe how much he felt like throwing up. He hit the ground hard, stomach wretching. It was as if he'd just ridden a winding rollercoaster after eating an entire pizza hut, yet nothing would come out. Samson merely stood next to him, unmoving.

"Don't worry, it'll pass. Trans-dimensional perpetual motion sickness" he said stoically. Dipper looked up at him, "Why- Why didn't you tell me…" he coughed out. "Because then you wouldn't have done it" Samson chuckled. Dipper groaned and lay down on the soft woodland grass, thankful for their comfort.

Samson looked down, and saw the three journals lying on the ground. While Dipper seemed distracted, he quickly and quietly grabbed them, hiding the three in his jacket pockets.

After a few minutes of adjustment, Dipper looked back up at Sam. "…Wait…why… how come you're fine…?" he asked accusingly. Samson looked down at him, "Oh trust me Dipper, I feel like puking my guts out too… although it gets easier the more you do it" he replied. Dipper looked at him in amazement, that amount of self-control… it was almost inhuman.

They stayed there for about ten minutes, riding out the pain, when suddenly they heard the sound of a twig snapping. Dipper whipped around, while Samson spoke soft and low, "You can't hide from me…"

"I wasn't trying to…" they heard a voice come from the opposite direction. Samson focused, and saw the twig was broken by a large rock. "…If I was, you wouldn't live long enough to know".

The duo turned to see a man, no, a boy, standing ominously beside a large pine tree _._ It took Sam only a moment to realize who it was. _It's… It's really him…_ Samson thought almost laughing. Dipper took a second to focus his eyes, before jumping back in shock. "Wait… Is that…" Dipper stammered.

"In the flesh…" the figure replied. Samson rubbed his temples, before speaking. "Dipper, meet… you" he said, still half in shock. Dipper looked upon his doppelganger with fascination. Suddenly both Dippers spoke in unison, "Why do I look like Gideon...?"

Samson laughed and shook his head, but then his expression turned deadly serious. "How did you find us?" he asked accusingly. Reverse Dipper smiled deviously, and held on tightly to the amulet wrapped around his neck. "They can sense each other's power. I knew you were here the moment you arrived. I… needed to take a few precautions. My sister isn't too keen on visitors…"

Dipper looked confused, "Mabel? Where is she? Why wouldn't she-" He stammered, until Reverse Dipper held up one hand. "I don't know what Mabel is like from your dimension, but trust me when I say… you have no idea what she's capable of here…"

Dipper couldn't speak. This wasn't at all what he had expected. Reverse Dipper couldn't stop looking over his shoulder. "We can't stay here… The trees have ears… come" he said, running off. Samson and Dipper looked at each other surprised, and sprinted off after him, however Dipper immediately fell over, stomach heaving. Samson rolled his eyes and groaned, before forcefully picking Dipper up by his arm, and slung him over his back.

Dipper was incredibly vocal in his protests, yelling as Samson darted off. Even with Dipper's weight added on, his speed was phenomenally faster than Dipper would have imagined. Darting around corners, expertly avoiding collision. His perception seemed surreal. Suddenly, he stopped in the center of a small clearing, and Dipper was thankful that he was still in one piece.

Sam let him off lying on the ground, and looked around wildly. "I thought you said you weren't hiding…" he called out to the void. At that moment, a chilling laugh rang through the forest. Samson looked up, only in time to push Dipper out of the way of the glistening daggers falling from the tree branches above.

When the dust settled, Sam coughed, and his eyes sprung open. He turned his head around, terror in his expression. "Dipper!?" he called out, desperate for a reply.

Then he saw him. His head was against a large rock, his eyes closed, and his body still. "…No… NO!" Samson yelled. He attempted to rush to Dipper's side, only to realize the most pain he had ever experienced coming from his leg. He looked back, only to realize, by pushing Dipper out of the way…

The metal had gone straight through himself.

He could feel tears welling up in his eyes, but not completely from the pain. "Dipper!" he called out again, his only response was the silence of the forest. Suddenly, Dipper's body was surrounded in a blue aura, and began floating in midair. It was then Samson saw… the rock was stained crimson.

He reached into his jacket pocket, only to realize that his amulet was inactive. He looked up, and hovering midair, he saw Reverse Dipper. He was smirking, clutching tightly to the amulet around his neck. Rage could not describe the emotion on Samson's face. "YOU!" he yelled, wrath and betrayal prominent in his tone.

Reverse Dipper grinned deviously. "Me. He'll live, for now. I told you… if you ever saw me again… pray that I'm alone" he said ominously, as Reverse Mabel appeared behind the tree line. "I only needed a few minutes to myself. However, they always say that you are your own worst enemy…" he said, glaring at Dipper.

"Oh don't worry… he'll pay dearly for that stunt he pulled…" Reverse Mabel said, eyeing her sibling knowingly, "Shall we play fair, dear brother?" she asked in a sweet and sinful voice. Reverse Dipper smiled, "Very well. You can choose. Should I simply flick my wrist and snap his neck, or something a little more profound?" he asked Samson.

Sam could barely think, but he weighed his options. Suddenly he had an idea. "Wait…" he said, "…what if I made you a deal…?" he asked desperately. Instead of replying, the twin's expressions turned serious. "…So… it's true then. You're really him. After all this time…" Reverse Dipper said in awe.

Samson was so confused. _How… what is going on…?_ He thought to himself. "That pathetic demon lied to us. He will be punished for that…" Reverse Mabel said thoughtfully.

Reverse Dipper glared at Samson, and then back at Dipper, before slowly resting him on the ground. "We finally get to meet your acquaintance. Welcome back to the land of the living… Samael."

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	25. At The Heart Of My Mistakes

Samson opened his eyes heavily, and all he could see was gray. A gray chair, gray walls, and a gray door. He sighed; Sam knew exactly where he was, although the reality of his presence there was disturbing. He recognized the room instantly; however he still felt the need to look around.

He angrily muttered to himself, and stood up slowly. Sam couldn't quite remember the last time he was here, but he knew one thing. He needed to leave. Now.

He reached out to open the door, but just as his fingers touched the handle, he could hear a familiar voice call to him.

 _Samael…_

He grimaced, the sound bringing back things he'd done his best to have forgotten. _And too many regrets…_ he thought. He forced the door open in haste, and beyond it lay a branching corridor, lined with adjacent rooms.

Sam looked outwards into the long hallway, and took a deep breath. He turned back to the empty room, almost expecting someone to be there. He breathed slowly, but began walking.

The ground below felt light and malleable, although it appeared to be solid stone. If this had been Sam's first time he'd have thought he would fall straight through. But it certainly wasn't the first time.

Sam walked quickly through the halls, trying his best to avoid noticing the tinted windows and banging doors. _Just keep walking…_ he told himself, _…they're not real…_

Suddenly, he stepped on something cold and metal. Of all the time's he'd visited, this was unique. He brushed away the gravel, only to reveal a long metal beam. _What…?_ Sam wondered. He kept going, only to find it seemingly didn't have an end.

 _It's… a pipe…? No, too thin… wait…_ Samson pondered, before hearing a blaring whistle coming from behind him. He spun around, just in time to see a bright light speeding at him remarkably fast. Sam barely had time to process the realization.

 _…Train tracks…_

Sam threw himself to the side, just avoiding the steel face of the passing metal death trap. But in just that moment, the train came to a sudden halt. It stopped dead, absolutely defying any laws of physics and inertia. Sam found himself ventilating, his heart soaring. "WHY IS EVERYTHING IN EXISTACE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO KILL ME!?" he yelled angrily to himself.

"Maybe you just pissed off someone upstairs" he heard a voice answer from the conductor. Sam stopped breathing, his heart skipping a beat. The snarky tone. The narcissistic attitude. He recognized it anywhere.

Suddenly, a tall figure stepped out of the car, looking down on Samson. His suit bright yellow as the setting sun, and his dark eyepatch creating an eerie ambiance. The only thing out of place was the conductor's cap. He laughed to himself, that chilling, menacing laugh Sam knew all too well.

"Well look whose back! Been a long time Sam! How many years has it been since the last time you visited?" he asked sarcastically. "Like the hat? I made it myself. And the train. You were gone for a _really_ long time" he laughed.

"Cipher… you're… not real…" Sam stammered, trying to get up. "Oh boo hoo, where's the fun in that? As if I care. You, on the other hand, have a treasure trove's worth of very real memories. Just because I'm one of them doesn't mean I'm any less real than you are. Tell me Sam, if none of us existed, just who would you be?" Cipher asked with Samson's own cocky smirk.

Sam stood up, finally looking at his counterpart eyes to eye. A second passed, when suddenly he ran off in a random direction, desperate to be as far away as he could. Oddly enough, Cipher made no motion to pursue him. Instead, his devious grin only widened.

Running as fast as he could, Sam turned sharply at the nearest corner, only to get a face full of metal effectively knocking him to the ground. Wearily, he blinked, and the object seemed to come into focus.

 _Wait…_

"You didn't seriously think it would be that easy right?" he heard come from above him. He looked up, only to see Cipher's face smirking back at him. Sam groaned, "That… That was low…"

Cipher merely chuckled, "I learned from the best…" he smiled. Samson groggily sat up, and stared at the large contraption before him. "Let me guess… you didn't build that thing just to run me over did you…" He said more of an observation than an actual question. Cipher smiled without a word, and held out his hand.

Samson looked at him menacingly, and threw his arm aside. "If I'm getting on, it is only because I'm finding the way out if here…." He said as he boarded the train. "And take off that stupid hat…"

That actually had Cipher looking crestfallen, but he just as suddenly returned to his snarky self. He shrugged his shoulders, and with a snap of his fingers, his old top hat floated just above his head once more. He grabbed the end of his pitch black cane, and hooked onto the door, hoisting himself up.

Samson huffed, "Show off". Cipher in turn began laughing himself breathless, coughing for air. He wiped a tear from his eye and chuckled. "Oh no Sam, _this_ is showing off…" he said as he pushed a lever beside him all the way to the ground. "CHOO CHOO MOTHERF-!" Cipher yelled as the train shot forward at an insane speed. Sam gripped tightly onto his seat, praying to not immediately be turned into paste, with Cipher laughing the entire time.

Suddenly he pulled back on the lever, and around them the skies were clear. The grass below them shined, and the scenery was almost peaceful. Just then, Samson could hear the distinct sound of children laughing, and all at once he was engulfed by one emotion. Fear.

"No, you are not going to do this to me! YOU MOVE THIS GODDAMN MACHINE RIGHT NOW!" he yelled. Cipher's expression actually genuinely changed, finding a look of anger, sadness, regret, but also empathy. "This is the deal Sam. You're not getting out of here until we're done. I'm not the only one here who wants you to see this…" he said solemnly.

Sam tried desperately to shut his eyes, but the laughing couldn't get out of his head. Finally, slowly, he opened one eye.

There in the meadow, two young children played, both in white silk garments. One was a blonde haired girl, and her face shown of beauty. Beside her was a dark hired boy, laughing beside her. Samson could do nothing but stare, and a single tear slowly formed in his eye.

"I'm not doing this to hurt you Sam. But you need to understand…" Cipher spoke enheartened, "…There are some things you can't go back to. Thinks you can't fix..." he said, as he pushed the lever forward a bit. Samson snapped back to reality, "Wait, wait where are you going!?" he yelled.

Cipher looked onward, "You think that's the only thing we're seeing? I'm sorry Sam, but we're taking a long trip down memory lane…". Samson looked behind him, watching the image slowly fade in the distance. _Please… take me back…_

It took only moments for Sam to realize where they were now. It was the same boy once more, only older and more mature. Suddenly, a hand rested on his shoulder. The boy turned, and standing there was the blonde girl, laughing heartwarmingly. "There's someone I want you to meet" she said happily, and she took his hand in her own.

Samson couldn't tell if he wanted to cry of sorrow or happiness, but Cipher kept driving, his expression serious. Suddenly the scenery changed, and all at once Samson burst into tears. "Please… just let me leave… please don't… don't make me watch this…" Sam begged. Cipher sighed, but stopped the train anyways.

Lying on the ground was the blonde girl, but the warmth and happiness had long since left her face. Her blood pooled beneath her, her eyes closed. Kneeling beside her was the boy, carelessly sobbing profusely. Suddenly, two large men grabbed his shoulders from behind. The boy struggled against them, crying out behind tears.

Sam reached out one hand, trying desperately to take hold of anything he could cling to. But as it passed, the mirage faded. The train slowly continued off, leaving Sam staring longingly into the void. Cipher stopped just once more, at their final stop.

There stood the boy, now older, his dark beard and loose hair flowing in the forest breeze. Below him a wooden cross was carefully embedded in the ground. He shed no tears, no sadness. Only rage. Pure, concentrated rage. "I promise you…" he said, "…I will make them pay. I will make them suffer. I will avenge you… if it's the last thing I do…". He looked up upon the etchings on the cross. "…I'm so sorry Hannah…"

Samson couldn't bear to see it anymore. He looked over as the train continued on, "Why… why must you show me these things…I know what happened… I know it was my fault… I just-"

"You just wanted to save her…". Cipher cut off, "…Sam… If you don't let your past die… your past won't let you live…" he said carefully. He slowly pulled back the lever, and the train came to a halt at an empty station. "Last stop" he said, stepping outside.

Samson sat there for a long while, stunned by Cipher's words. As he stepped off of the train car, he looked out into a small rosarade path. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to see Cipher looking into him empathetically. "Like I said Sam… I'm just a memory. But you have to realize… so is she… Hannah's dead. And she's not coming back. …I'm not saying you have to abandon everything you've worked for so far. But what I am saying is… maybe it's time to look past the curtains… and fight for something real…"

Sam stared at him long and hard. "He's not you anymore. He's changed. He needs to die… for everything he's done… nothing else should matter…" he said feeling himself shaking. Cipher extended a finger off of the fenced path, pointing to an image. "What about them? Do they not matter…?"

Samson looked out, and there he saw Dipper and Mabel, playing together back home. Then to Dipper saving his life, and Mabel tending to him when he was unconscious. Stopping Bipper. Mabel creating an entirely new outfit to wear in public. Taking a dagger to push Dipper out of harm's way….

And then the scene changed. Mabel crying on her bed. Dipper putting on his cloak, his eyes flashing black. The twins at each other's throats the night they left.

 _No…_

Mabel's face when they found Dipper that night. The way he'd twisted their emotion's for his own gain….

 _NO!_

Sam wiped his eyes. He turned back, and saw Cipher standing behind him. "I'm giving you a choice Sam. There's two ways out of this. You can get back on this train, or you can jump that fence. What is it going to be? Are you Samael... or Samson?"


	26. Too Good To Be True

**[Sorry about the late post guys, things are kind of hectic right now. But enough about that. Here it is. The big one. The one that answers the question on everyone's mind. Stay tuned, and I hope you enjoy!]**

Pacifica sat on a bench outside the mystery shack, listening to Mabel's **sobbing.** Her heart felt like it had just been hit by a bus. _This… This is all my fault…_ she **thought,** tears slowly forming in her eyes. The bright morning sun in the horizon only made her feel guiltier. _Everything was supposed to be perfect… I ruined everything… I was so selfish…_ she cried.

Pacifica looked behind her, the sobbing ever persisting as time went on. She sat there for a long while, before talking a choking deep breath. She stood up and turned, looking through the open doorway at the lonely girl. Slowly, carefully, she took a few steps inside, however she hadn't anticipated how crickety the old floorboards were. Mabel looked up with an expression Pacifica couldn't determine.

"I thought I told you to leave…" Mabel said in a low voice, menace in her tone. Pacifica barely found her words. "Mabel, I-" she stammered. "No. No excuses. No petty apologies. You toyed with me… you twisted my brother… just get out…" Mabel said, staring into her.

Pacifica winced, but stood firm. "Mabel… I'm sorry. And this isn't a petty apology. You deserve an explanation…" she said hopefully. Mabel still looked like she was prepared to throw her off a cliff, but remained quiet.

Pacifica spoke thoughtfully, "I… well… that day of the party, when your brother saved my life… I started having feelings for him. And I figured, your brother is, well, your brother. And I'm a snobby, bitchy heiress. He would never like me… so… I made a deal…"

Mabel's eyes shot open. She grabbed on to Pacifica's shoulders and glared at her, "YOU WHAT!? YOU MADE A DEAL WITH BILL!? FOR MY BROTHER!?" she yelled angrily. Pacifica shook her head frantically. "NO… not Bill, he said his name was Sam…" she said desperately. Mabel's heart skipped a beat, and her hands shot to her mouth, holding back a gasp. "He… he was with you… last night…" Pacifica stammered.

 _No… that… that's not true… Sam would never… he wouldn't…_

Pacifica stared at her longingly, "Mabel, I need you to know how truly ashamed I am for what I did. I was desperate, and selfish, and I can't expect you to ever trust me or forgive me again… but right now…I need your help".

Mabel looked at her accusingly. "I'm sorry, why on earth would I ever help you with anything?" she asked. Pacifica sniffled, but continued. "Mabel… I love your brother. Not like a petty crush, Like _I'm in love_ with him. And I know he was yours first, and I had no right to take him away like I did… but now Sam took him away from both of us" she said.

Mabel looked at her crestfallen, "I don't believe you. About Sam. About your stupid deal or whatever. It was probably Bill saying he was Sam, or something. But all I know is that now… you've put my brother in danger. If Bill's involved, they both are…"

Mabel turned and headed upstairs. As she was on her way, however, sphe looked back. Pacifica's head was hung, tears forming down her face. Mabel sighed; _I am so going to regret this…_ "…Are you coming or what?" she asked.

Pacifica coughed behind tears and looked at her. "I… I thought…". "Hey princess, if you really care about my brother, then you are going to do everything exactly as I say. If I'm going to rescue Dipper… I'm going to need your help…" she said begrudgingly. Pacifica gasped, but then beamed and nodded her head, an empathetic look on her face. "Ok! Ok… what do we do?" she asked enthusiastically.

Mabel closed her eyes, thinking back. "Well, in order to use the portal, it took Grunkle Stan thirty years to find all three journals. But now Dipper has them all, wherever he is. Grunkle Ford would never just let us go back through, he's too paranoid. There's got to be something…" She pondered.

"Who's Ford?" Pacifica asked. Mabel looked up, but then realized they had never actually met. "The guy you saw me with last night wasn't Stan. Ford is his twin brother. He's brilliant… but he's kind of broken and bitter. Especially to Stan. He kind of trapped Ford in another dimension for thirty years on the other side of the portal. He… never really forgave him for that one…"

Pacifica went on alert, "Wait… aren't Sam and Dipper trapped there now!?" she asked worriedly. Mabel shook her head, "No… I don't think so. They went somewhere else, to find another Dipper. He's going to help us defeat Bill, somehow." she replied.

Pacifica breathed out a sigh of relief, "So, how are we getting there?" she asked. Mabel thought for a moment. "Well… There's only one place I can think of that Ford could have instructions to turn the portal on… but it's a long shot" she admitted.

Pacifica smiled and nodded her head, "Lead the way… Let's go save Dipping sauce" she said, wiping away a tear. Mabel turned, not letting Pacifica see the small smile forming on her face.

They headed upstairs to the twins' room, Mabel looking under Dipper's bed while Pacifica explored aimlessly. "What exactly are we looking for?" Pacifica called out. Mabel searched through the clutter, before smiling. "This" she replied, holding up some kind of key.

"What's that for?" Pacifica asked confused. Mabel smiled knowingly, "This here is the president's key. Supposedly, it can open any lock in America. My guess is that if we have any chance of getting into Grunkle Ford's office, this is it".

The duo ran downstairs, when suddenly Mabel had an idea. She grabbed some leftover fairy dust, and entered the elevator alongside Pacifica. As the elevator door opened, both girls held their breath, and Mabel slowly turned the key into the hole. To their delight, they heard a metal click, and the door swung open.

"MABEL!? WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? HOW DID YOU GET IN-" Ford shouted, before Mabel threw the fairy dust into his face. Instantly, Ford dropped to the floor, unmoving. "Is… is he ok…?" Pacifica asked worriedly. Mabel walked over the limp body, "He's resting"

Pacifica carefully stepped over him, delicately studying the room. "…Um… Mabel… Why are there pictures of Bill everywhere…?" Pacifica asked, now feeling scared. "Oh… wellthatsbecauseFordgotpossesedandnowhe'sborderlineinsane but who cares! We've got research to do missy!" Mabel replied excitedly.

Mabel and Pacifica searched the room for a good long while, getting more frustrated as time passed. Suddenly Pacifica tripped over what she assumed was Ford's arm, but looking back, it seemed to be something he was holding. She picked it up, and looked at the cover, excitement and confusion forming in her expression.

"Hey Mabel… you said that there were only three journals, right?" she asked. Mabel, not paying full attention, asked, "Yeah why?"

Pacifica coughed, and when Mabel turned, she saw a red, leather bound book in Pacifica's hands, a clear number 4 written atop a golden six fingered hand. Her eyes went wide, "Oh… My… God… DIPPER'S GONNA FLIP A DIP DIP!" she yelled.

Pacifica cringed, "Never… never say that again…" Mabel rolled her eyes and took the book, laying it atop Ford's desk. _Come on, portal instructions…_ Mabel hoped as she opened the first page.

Her eyes suddenly sprang open. _Wait… Sammy? What…_

 _...You'll probably want to keep this on the low down. For Mabel's sake..._

 _Why…?_

Mabel turned the page. At first she was confused, but then her hand bolted to her mouth in shock. Pacifica looked up, "Mabel! What's wrong?" she asked worriedly. Mabel didn't reply. Pacifica stood next to her and looked over her shoulder, looking down on the book. While it was largely compromised of diagrams and notes, two distinct words were written clearly atop the page.

 ** _The Archangels_**


	27. Retribution

**[Hey guys, sorry for the late update/filler. I think you'll like it though. So recent events, one, happy birthday to me the day this goes up. Besides that, new awesome trailer for weirdmaggeddon 3 came out. Also would like to thank all the amazing people participating in the fanart video, all the entries look amazing so far! Anyway, review and favorite, enjoy!]**

 _Dear Ford,_

 _I know all of this comes at a shock to you. I know that your brilliant mind is buzzing with questions. But right now I need you to listen to me. Things are not what they seem._

 _You were right about me. And I think it's time I owned up to that. I didn't come here to save you. That was an added bonus. I have a score to settle with someone. Someone very old, and very powerful._

 _Know that I never meant to put your family in harm's way. I'll admit, I used you. Manipulated you. But you did something I never expected. Not in this lifetime anyway. You trusted me. You welcomed me. You cared about me._

 _And your niece and nephew treated me like family. If you all knew the things I've done in my past, I doubt even Dipper's uncanny timing would protect me at that point. But they never saw that. They don't see me as the monster I am. They loved me…_

 _I have seen the rise and fall of empires. I have been to the far reaches of the universe. And I still would be. But I was betrayed._

 _The being you know as Bill. He is much older than you can possibly imagine. And all this time under the influence of the nightmare realm… he's nothing like what I once knew._

 _His name was Cipher. He was my best friend. Before the fall, before Lucifer, Cipher and I spent eons in what you call heaven. Honestly not much like you'd expect. Lots of gardens and trees. And then there was our father. He was wise, and forgiving. Or at least he was…_

 _And then there was Hannah. Beautiful, wise, kind, and three of us grew up together. We were inseparable. Hannah was our voice of reason. Her trust in our father was absolute._

 _It was different for us. Cipher and I never agreed with how our father treated us compared to you humans. It was unfair. But I was more loyal to our father. I trusted him. Cipher, on the other hand, was angry. He detested our father for his actions. So when Lucifer finally decided to abandon grace, Cipher made a choice. He left, and became a demon, while Hannah and I remained._

 _We wept for him, for centuries. He was our brother. We loved him. But so did Lucifer. Cipher created trickery, deception, and manipulation. He had become something to fear, something we had been warned against since time immemorial._

 _But I was brash. Headstrong. Doubtful. One day, against the wishes of Hannah, I went to the border of the nightmare realm. You call it Hell. I… I knew it was a long shot, but I had hoped to see Cipher, at least one last time._

 _And what I saw was terrifying. Demons by the millions, clawing at the gates like animals. I fled, and went back home with Hannah. That was the moment that everything went wrong. For years, their ferocity haunted me. I was afraid, and desperate, and scarred, that one day they would break through, tear down everything I ever cared about._

 _And then I committed the most unspeakable act in the history of our kind. I felt like there was only one way to protect us. To protect her. So I did the only thing I could. I summoned a demon into heaven._

 _Cipher. He wasn't anything like when he left. He was always clever and cunning, but he was kind. Compassionate. Understanding. The nightmare realm changed him in ways neither of us could imagine. He was perverted and evil, but still, I made him a deal._

 _Back when I was a servant of God, I wasn't like the other angels. I was unique. I was an archangel. God's executioner. You ever hear the story of Moses? I was the one who touched the pharaoh's son, who walked with him into heaven._

 _I had the powers of life and death. People called me many names. Fate. The Grim Reaper. Truth be told, they are just names. Death is one of the only constant things in the universe. But I was its master. And I used that power to seal the deal._

 _I gave Cipher an offer he couldn't refuse. Keep Hannah and I safe from the impending invasion, and he could use my powers on Earth. Demons can't kill without a vessel, so to you it would be like I was giving him the next billion winning lottery tickets._

 _But Cipher deceived me. Looking back, it seems obvious he would. It lasted so many years, acting as Cipher's puppet, massacring entire villages for sport. But then he got greedy. He went to Hannah. He wanted to see her again. But he didn't know what she would do._

 _She ran off to tell my father what I'd done. I was at home, when suddenly two of the royal guard blindsided me, and brought me to my father, along with Cipher and Hannah. And what happened next changed my life forever._

 _What I had done was the worst possible abomination any ange could ever commit, but that was not enough. The pact I had made was sealed in blood. My father couldn't simply kill me, or else Cipher would have free reign throughout heaven, and be able to open the gates from the inside. Likewise, he couldn't destroy Cipher. Not completely. Only Lucifer has that power now._

 _But Hannah. Sweet, Innocent Hannah. He made me watch… as he slit her throat in one swift stroke. She never knew it was coming. Never saw through the veil of my father's endless wisdom. He made her death slow, painful, and watched me weep as she bled out on the floor._

 _And Cipher just laughed. I'll never forget that sound. He protected us from the Demons, but he just laughed as my father found a loophole in our deal. He talked about how His favorite angel had become corrupted by sin. That she was to blame. That my actions had caused her death._

 _I never listened to any of it. Not until they brought me to the nexus. They banned us. It was the worst they could do. But not before they ripped of my wings and tortured me for years. Time is less relevant when your celestial, but removing my wings made me mortal. I was conscious for every second of it._

 _Cipher was less fortunate. Over the years he actually began to find the torture humorous. I could hear his sadistic laughter from my cell every hour of every day. They banished me to another dimension, but they couldn't do the same with Cipher. He has no corporeal form, no vessel to possess. So they trapped him in the nexus, what you call the mindscape. When he became 'Bill'._

 _He's constantly in pain and torture. He's being pulled in and out of every reality simultaneously. It's turned him insane. It's why I have to end this. Bill stood idly laughing while they killed the person I loved. But now he has the power to do it again, to you and your family. I won't allow that to happen._

 _All I can say is this Ford…_

 _Pray._

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Ziv

Dv

Rnnligzo?

Gsv

Wvero

Pmldh…


	28. What's A God To A Nonbeliever

Sam awoke to the feeling of water covering his face. Also the subsequent feeling of drowning. His eyes shot open, shoving his hands against the lake floor. The more he pushed, the more his hands seemed to sink into the mud. Panic swept across him, looking around desperately for something to hold on to, but the murky water made him completely blind to his surroundings.

Clutching his breath, he attempted to swim in the direction his bubbles were traveling. After what seemed like hours of tireless swimming, he could see light breaking out through the lake's surface. As his lips broke free, he felt a strong tug at his ankle. Gasping for breath, he realized that the weight holding him down had to be several times heavier than him, and sinking.

All of a sudden he heard a round of mocking laughter. "Having fun there Sam?" He could hear Reverse Dipper calling to him. Sam stopped and looked over as best he could. Out of the corner of his eye, he glimpsed Dipper's unmoving, bleeding body.

What happened next was almost indescribable. As the twins looked out into the lake, the thrashing and squirming suddenly stopped. Reverse Dipper stopped laughing, "Huh… Maybe he wasn't as strong as we thought…" he mused. Reverse Mabel pouted, "And just when it was getting fu-"

And in that moment, just for a moment, the entire lake surface began to boil, before glowing a blinding brilliant light. The twins were staggered and covered their eyes, screaming as they fell to the ground. They could feel the heat radiating from its intensity. And just as suddenly, the light died. The twins, in utter shock, scrambled to their feet, staring at the lake, desperate for answers.

Except, there was no lake. No fish. Just an empty crater, charred and devoid of life. And in the center, stood Samael. His scars glowing, and his eyes burning a brilliant white light, and he appeared as though in that moment that he could rip the world in two with the snap of his fingers. However, before the twins had time to react, he fell to the floor in an unconscious heap.

As they stared at the smoldering body beneath them for what felt like hours, Reverse Dipper finally spoke up.

"Take them to the demon…"

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Mabel lay against the wall with Journal 4 in hand, reading passage after passage of information. Pacifica looked at her, almost in fear; she had never seen Mabel so distressed.

Mabel looked over to her in anger, "Are you just going to stand around!? DO SOMETHING!" she cried. Pacifica didn't know what to do, but she more than anything needed to know about what exactly was going on. "Mabel… please… I need to talk to you. I know you hate me, and you think I'm a slut, But I really need you to be straight with me right now".

Mabel wiped her eyes. Truth be told, she wasn't angry with Pacifica. She just didn't have anyone else to take her anger out on, although she would never admit that. "What?" she grumbled.

"The night at the mansion, your brother seemed… off. He was suave, and handsome, and charming, and completely NOT the dorky, awkward Dipper I know…" she trailed off, "...Has he been acting weird lately? Before all this?"

Mabel visibly stiffened. "Well… not before that night, but…" she stammered, "…I broke one of our twin rules. I kept a secret from him that I shouldn't have. About Sam…" she said, eyes closed tight.

Pacifica didn't know what to say, but she went and hugged the small child, comforting her as best she could. "Mabel, I don't know a lot about Sam… at all really… but he's the one that brought me and your brother together. And I will owe him for life for that. I know it's hard to believe… but I love your brother… and I will do everything I can to bring him, the real him, back to us."

It was Mabel's turn to be awestruck. She never thought Pacifica would ever say she loved someone. She wasn't even sure she knew the word. _But for her to have that much trust in Dipper…_

"…You know what Paz…?" she said hesitantly. Pacifica raised an eyebrow hesitantly. Mable sighed sheepishly, "…I ship it…"

Pacifica looked incredibly confused, "What does that-"she wondered, before Mabel interrupted, "I'm ok with you dating my brother".

Pacifica practically beamed with joy and hugged Mabel tighter, to which Mable patted her blonde head. "Ok, now that we're cool, let's go save Dipping sauce" Mabel smiled. Pacifica nodded, and the two continued looking through the journal, Mabel making sure to skip a few pages ahead.

Pacifica seemed to take notice, however, at the many entries of different handwriting. "Are you sure your uncle wrote this one?" she asked, Mable avoiding the question. There were several pages documenting the future technology, and finally, at long last, instructions on operating the device.

"Let's do this"

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Stanley came home after picking up breakfast, hoping he could make things better with Mabel. He shut off the car keys, and headed inside, only to get a bad feeling in his core.

He set the food aside the table. Everything was too quiet. Nothing smelled like it was burning. Stanley suddenly got unbearably nervous. Where's Ford…

He ran to the elevator, punching in the keypads, and rode it impatiently down to Ford's study. He was about to knock on the door, when he noticed it was slightly ajar. Ford never left his door unlocked.

Panic ensuing, Stanley burst the door in, only to find tattered paper and his brother out cold on the floor. "FORD!" he screamed, clinging to his brother's jacket. Stanley was afraid he'd had a heart attack, or something. Ford remained completely motionless.

Stanley looked up, dashing to the vials and jars Ford had on hand. "Come on… COME ON!" Stanley yelled, until finally he found what he was searching for. Opening the jar, he grabbed a handful of jackelope fur, and looked over at his brother. He forcibly opened his mouth, and shoved the hair as far back as he could down Ford's throat.

Not a moment later, Ford's eyes shot open, along with the subsequent choking and coughing up hairballs. "Oh thank Christ…" Stanley stammered, "Ford, what happened…?!"

Stanford could barely speak, but looked over and saw the jar in Stanley's hand. "How… how did you know to do that…" Ford stammered. Stanley slightly chuckled, "I did my reading. It's amazing what you can learn in thirty years".

Ford nodded, but them went of full alert. Grabbing his brother by the shoulders, Ford replied shakily, "The portal…"

It wasn't long after that the twins rushed back to the elevator. When the door opened, all they could see was a brilliant light and a pair of silhouettes. "Mabel!" Stan called out. The light faded, and he could start to see the two clearly. Mabel turned around, anger in her face.

"YOU SENT HIM AWAY! YOU ABANDONED HIM! WELL NO MORE! WE ARE GETTING MY BROTHER BACK!" they heard her yell, as both leapt into the portal.

"MABEL-!" Stan yelled, and was running towards the portal before Ford grabbed him. "STAN WHAT ARE YOU DOING, IT'S TO DANGEROUS!" He yelled. Stanley looked at his brother with ridicule, "THAT'S OUR NEICE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT!" he yelled back.

Ford suddenly had an expression he hadn't seen… in nearly fourty years… that look from the window. Ford looked completely heartbroken. "I lost you because I wasn't man enough to stand up to Dad. I lost you when I refused to listen to you when I knew you were right. …I… I CAN'T LOSE YOU AGAIN!" Ford yelled sadly.

Stan was speechless. He took a step back. He looked at his brother longingly, and could only think of one thing to say. "Sixer… I love you… you know that right?" he asked. From the way Ford reacted, Stanley knew his brother hadn't thought so. "How could you forgive me…?" Ford begged.

"Because you're family, Poindexter. And right now, our family is in trouble. Now are you coming or not?" He asked sternly. Ford shuddered, and spoke in a low voice, "Someone needs to reopen the portal…"

Stanley frowned and sighed, "I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I'm proud of you Sixer…" Stanley said, as he tossed his symbolled fez at Ford's feet. Stunned, Ford picked it up, and held it close to his heart. "Keep it safe. I'll see you again…" he said, turning to the portal.

"I promise."

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 _…_

 _…_

 _…Hello?_

Dipper heard a voice call out to him. As he blinked his eyes open, he slowly began to recollect what had happened. Running. Shouting. The shimmer of shining metal. The force of the push. And then…

And then everything was black. Dipper had the feeling in the back of his mind, screaming at him to be afraid. Warnings everywhere, and yet, he sensed an odd feeling of peace. It was unlike anything he had experienced before. Never in all his life did he remember being in such a calm state of mind.

"Is this what dying feels like?" He heard his own voice speak, yet he didn't remember opening his mouth. He didn't really care. All he knew was that whatever came next, he wouldn't fight it. He didn't even want to fight it. It felt oddly comfortable where he lay, contemplating the finality of his existence.

"Not quite yet…" He heard another voice call from the void. Dipper struggled to open his eyes, but eventually noticed that everywhere around his being was unending darkness. Reluctantly, he sat up, still disappointed that he couldn't simply go to sleep.

"You're time isn't over…" he heard the voice call out again. Dipper simply sat there pouting. "Just… Just give me five more minutes…" he said tiredly. Once again, he attempted to blink his eyes open. However, this time, the darkness was broken. A man stood before Dipper, facing out into the emptiness beyond. There wasn't much special about him. He simply seemed to give of an aura of peace.

"Who are you…" Dipper asked, now becoming intrigued. Although he couldn't see it, he could tell the man smiled. "That is a good question…" he said as he turned to face Dipper.

"People describe me in many ways…" he said ponderously, "Perhaps you could call me the world. Or perhaps the galaxy. Perhaps the universe…" he said.

"Or perhaps God…" he spoke again.

"Or perhaps all. Or perhaps one. Or perhaps the truth." He finished. Dipper remained absolutely silent.

"No, young one, it is not your time to die. It is your time for rebirth. There are those closest to you who seek to destroy me. There are those who will claim I deserve it. It is not up to me to decide. The burden has fallen unto you…"

"You must go now. It's time to leave. …When you find my son… tell him… that the path he walks cannot be allowed to continue. You will both face a great choice. Pray you choose wisely…"

 _…Wake up Dipper…_

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Zoo gsvhv bvzih lu drogrmt.

Ilggrmt.

Wbrmt.

R mvevi gslftsg R'w hvv blf ztzrm.

Sld wvhkvizgv blf nfhg yv.

Blf xznv zoo gsrh dzb.

Mlg uli nv.

Yfg uli srn.

Blf xzm'g yvzg srn.

R xlfowm'g yvzg srn.

R pmld ivevmtv.

Gsrh...

Gsrh rh yollwofhg...

Yfg gszg ylb.

Gszg trio.

Dszg xlfow gsvb vevi szev wlmv gl blf...

R lmxv pmvd gsv nzm yvsrmw gsv nzhp.

Mld...

Blf'ev tildm rm dzbh R xlfow szev mvevi rnztrmvw.

Blf zodzbh dviv gsv hgilmtvhg.

Blf dviv nb svil.

Nb yvhg uirvmw.

Uli blfi hzpv...

Zmw uli nrmv...

...R slkv blf drm...


	29. Me, Myself, and Eye

**[Hey everyone! I have to say, first off, I'm truly sorry for these late updates, but I have a feeling that I wont be able to keep up my 2 uploads a week schedule for a while. I hope you all still enjoy, but unfortunately I'm slowing things down a bit.**

 **I would also like to give the world's biggest thanks to Wolfan Terror and LeelaSmall, for dealing with my complete idiocy at not mentioning them in the last TWO updates, I am so sorry. Both of these fantastic writers have made amazing contributions to the fanart video, and I couldn't thank them enough!**

 **As always, leave a comment of your thoughts and ideas, I always love to hear them! Hope you enjoy!]**

Ford looked out into the vast openness of the portal beyond his brother. The infinity that he had created suddenly seemed like it was taking away his whole world. Stanley stood at the portal's edge, hesitating only slightly. "Does...Does it hurt?" he asked, bringing Stanford back to reality.

Ford adjusted his glasses and shifted slightly, "Well no, not for me anymore... Although you may feel a tad nauseous on the other side". Stanly nodded gruntingly. He sighed, and looked back one last time. "Don't worry Poindexter... I'll be back".

Ford looked up at his brother, an encouraging smile across his face, however a small tear forming in the corner of his eye. Despite his brother's reassuring words, he had a terrible sense of dread, as if this was the last time he was ever going to see Stanley again.

Stan took a deep breath. "Goodbye Sixer…". And thus the room was filled with light, and by the time Ford could see again, his brother was gone. He closed his eyes tightly, wiping away tears. _Please be ok Stanley…_

He solemnly crept back to his study, eager to drown himself in work, keep his mind off things. But the more he flipped through page after page of journal 4, the more he felt the desperate need for answers. Answers to everything, and while this book brought so many of them, it also brought thousands of more questions. Stanford only wished he could ask Sam directly…

And then he had a thought. A terrible, horrible thought. It was just for a moment, and he slapped himself across the face for even thinking it. He berated himself, yelling he would never go that far, never again. But the more he worked, the more questions came up, the more that terrible thought crept in the back of his mind.

 _Maybe it wouldn't be so terrible…_ Ford pondered. No matter how terrible, no matter how risky, it seemed like the only solution. The only person that may know even more than Sam…

Ford slammed the book shut, burying his face in his hands. _You promised… never again…_ He cried to himself. _You promised… it's the only way… trust no one… trust your family…. the ones that love you… I can control it… I can control it…_

Ford looked up, his hands shaking wildly. He looked at his reflection on a black computer screen, looking at the man he had become. "No…" he said aloud, "No more… No more fear… I can do this." He said finally. He began to walk out of the room, but not before grabbing a piece of chalk on the table…

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To say Sam was reluctant to be chained and bound was a rather large understatement. When he came to, he could only watch helplessly at the twins magically carried them back to what he assumed was their home.

Dipper seemed to be in some kind of comatose state. Whether that was from the concussion or the twin's magic, Sam couldn't tell. He tried yelling, but the bright blue chains between his teeth were effectively gagging him.

Eventually, the Tent of Telepathy came into view, and with it a sense of dread. Sam could only imagine what heinous torture devices lay inside.

However, once they entered the living room, everything seemed almost peaceful. Nice paintings, clean carpets, the feng shui was on point…

And all the triangles. Everywhere. Every decoration, every mural, anything he could see. Suddenly the twins let them go, and Sam and Dipper fell to the floor with a thud.

The twins closed their eyes and chanted in unison. "Egassem sdrawkcab… egassem sdrawkcab… egassem sdrawkcab… egassem sdrawkcab… egassem sdrawkcab!"

All at once, time seemed to slow down, and Sam could distinctly hear… crying?

At that moment, a blue triangle with a single eye floated before them. It whimpered, "You called mast-" it began, until it looked down. There, he saw Sam's enraged and hateful expression, his eyes murderous. The demon stayed there for just a split second, before screaming at the top of his nonexistent lungs, rushing around the room.

"IM SORRY IM SORRY IM SORRY IM SORRY SAM PLEASE PLEASE DON'T KILL ME IM SORRY!" he pleaded. Suddenly Samael's expression became confused, and he would have grabbed the demon if he had been tangible. "Sam…", he kept whimpering, "…I'm so sorry… I… you… you were…." He cried.

Samael could only look at him in wonder. "I... You… How…?" Will asked desperately.

"Sam… you're supposed to be dead…"

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Ford sat in the center of the dark forest, trying his best to meditate. He could feel the pitch of the air, the wisps of the trees. He let out a deep sigh, and laid back. He looked up, gazing once more over his masterpiece. Sketched aside the bark of a large tree. The Cipher Wheel.

Suddenly the entire scenery chamged to gray. Stanford had been here enough to know that he was dreaming, although the feeling was still unsettling.

"Well, well, well, look who we have here!" Stanford heard that chillingly familiar voice call out. However, he remained unphased. "Show yourself..." He asked calmly. The eerie laughter came to a sudden halt. Moments later, the golden demon floated before him, his eye filled with confusion.

"You... You're different..." Bill said questioningly. "I can see your mind... So much agony... So much pain... How... How could you find peace...?" Ford looked up, a small tear forming in the corner of his eye, a feeling of determination flowing through him. "With the one thing that you, no matter how hard you tried, could never take away from me. My family... That loves me. Despite everything that I... we... have done... they still love me. You... You can't hurt me anymore..."

Bill stayed there, mesmerized by Stanford's words. He was so sure... So completely sure his mind had been shattered beyond repair. Ford looked at him, an understanding finally occurring. "You... You're scared..." Ford stared at Bill, "You're scared... of me...?"

Bill looked down on the pathetic flesh bag beneath him, and asked himself the same question. "What... what is it you want Stanford? Why did you come here?" Bill persisted.

Ford stood strong, gazing up at the luminous being above, no fear in him. "You. Sam... Samael." Bill visibly flinched at the name, and his eye twitched slightly. "...So... You know the truth..." Bill sighed. "I'll give you props Sixer. You're the first human to figure it all out in over 2000 years... You know the deal we made. What we suffered. What, then, did you wish to know?"

Ford's eyes shot open. An opportunity had just arisen. "I want to know everything... Everything about you, Samael, the universe... You always knew that..." Ford stammered. Bill stifled a chuckle. "Wait... He... He never told you did he..." Bill said deviously. The look in his eye let Ford know he'd be smirking if he could, Bill's demonic laugh enveloping the void.

"Oh Fordsy ol' pal... let's have some storytime, shall we?" He laughed evilly. Ford stood there unnervingly, simply staring before him.

"Your dear friend Sam used to be just like me. Well, all in all, he still got the short end of the stick... but at least he's not stuck in the mindscape... SO! Where to begin..." Bill pondered

"It was so many millennia ago. Back when we had our grace. Samael and I were best friends... But I'll let you in on a little secret Sixer. Sam had power, more than I ever did. He was an archangel. And not just any archangel either, Sam was the big one. The archangel of death itself..."

"...And he's all mine..."


	30. So A Demon Walks Into A Bar,,,

**[AN: I AM NOT DEAD! I'm so sorry it's been nearly three weeks since my last update. I wanted to make the Gravity Falls finale sacred, so I didn't upload last week, but in the following week my laptop suffered irreparable water damage. I'm so sorry for the super late delay and things should be back on schedule now. I really hope you all are still enjoying this. Anyways, on to the chapter!]**

The sound was sucked out of the air like a vacuum. The twins stared at Samson as he watched the horror-stricken demon with cold, piercing eyes. Nobody made a move, until Dipper ushered his sister back a few steps when Sam's eyes began to glow. And not their normal fiery blue, his eyes were burning white.

"You..."

Sam uttered in a tone that could only be described as unearthly. The menace, the rage, was more than any demon they'd encountered. His hand shot to the side, and suddenly Will's petrified body flung into the brick fireplace.

"...fucking..."

Sam threw his hand across his body, sending the demon flying to the other side of the room, his eye bashing into a granite tabletop.

"...TRAITOR!"

Sam yelled as his scars began to glow with the growing intensity of each crush and snap, ignoring the demon's constant begging for mercy. The twins simply watched in silence as Will cried out in pain, mesmerized by the power of the being standing before them.

Samael then held the sniveling coward before him, and the glow surrounding his body began to fade. Will ducked behind a couch, tears in his eye. Sam sighed, and turned to the twins. "You gave him physical form..." He growled.

The twins eyed each other, until Reverse Dipper spoke, "We couldn't exactly harm him in his ethereal state. We used a unicorn spell to form a barrier around the house, so he's trapped inside if he ever worked up the courage to try anything. But he never will... We make sure of that..." He sneered, eyeing the demon.

Reverse Mabel smiled deviously. "...I'm impressed, Archangel. We thought your kind were extinct in this realm. Your power can certainly be useful. Although you surround yourself with... inferior beings" she said, eyeing an unconscious Dipper.

Sam turned to her in anger. "Watch your tone girl... You're dealing with powers you can't control. It's by my grace that you aren't a smoldering pile of ash where you stand. And for the record, my name here is Samson".

Reverse Dipper scoffed, "Oh we know what you're capable of. You have no chains in this dimension Samael. You can do whatever you please. Whatever your father denied you. Give you the revenge you always deserved..." He said, eyeing Will, who immediately flew into another room.

Sam looked out towards where Will left. Without breaking his gaze, he uttered, "Leave us". Reverse Dipper and Mabel smirked to each other, and left without a word, taking Dipper with them.

Samson stepped lightly into the master bedroom, the ambiance becoming much darker. Macabre paintings lined the walls, and the blood red drapes and furnishings reminded him of the villages he once razed to the ground.

Sniveling in the corner was the pathetic blue demon, still begging for his life. "Please, Sam, I'm so sorry... I didn't know... Please don't kill me..." He groveled.

Sam looked down on the whimpering triangle, expecting to be executed on the spot.

"Cipher..." He said ominously, "...it's been a long time..."

Will stammered, "Samael... I... I saw you die... I saw you..."

Sam held up his hand, silencing the demon. "Different me. Another dimension. I'm a little disappointed you didn't realize sooner..." he sighed

"…So... I'm dead here... I'm surprised the old man had the nerve to kill me this time. His perfect son..." He trailed off.

"... Over one billion years of exile... I'd say I'm doing pretty well. You, on the other hand, are a sorry wreck. You let two _mortals_ overpower you. My, how the mighty have fallen..."

Will looked up, crying and confused. "Are… are you going to kill me…?" he asked.

Samael stared hard at the demon, but then smiled warmly. "…Why would I kill my best friend?"

Cipher became silent. He looked up longingly at Sam, "…I…I don't understand…you called me a traitor… you hurt me…"

Sam almost laughed, "Did you think the twins would leave us alone unless they were convinced I was going to punish you?"

Will looked confused for a moment, until understanding came over him. He slowly levitated, until he was eye level with his former partner.

"Cipher, you're my best friend. I'm going to help get you out of here. It can finally be just me and you again. You're going to get everything you deserve, I promise you that. I have big plans coming, and I need you to help me…"

Will looked at Sam, and held out one hand.

"…It's… IT'S A DEAL!"

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"Ugh… bluuuhhh…" Pacifica nearly puked upon exiting the portal, Mabel not doing much better next to her. They lay there for a long time, riding out the trans-dimensional jump. The sunset gleamed vibrantly through the forest trees, as though painting a picture of what was to come.

"Woah, you two suckers have the flu of something?" they heard a hoarse laugh behind them.

Mabel looked up in a flash. "G…Grunkle Stan? How -ugh- did you get here…?"

Stan chuckled, "Same way as you two knuckleheads. Did you really think I was letting you out of my sight that easily? My nerdy brother's still on the other side of the portal though, probably reading his dumb book. I'm sure he's fine. I'm more concerned about the fact that the two of you look like you went on a rollercoaster after thanksgiving dinner. Ford told me I may get nauseous, but clearly he's never been to Ecuador…"

Mabel was equally annoyed and thankful at his arrival, Pacifica still trying to grasp the reality that she was on solid ground.

Stan's jovial expression then turned much more serious. "…I was worried about you, ok? You went and threw yourself into who knows where, with no adult supervision. Now, normally I'm all for unsupervised mayhem and violence, but this is different. If anything happened to you two out here, I wouldn't be here to pull your butts out of the fire. Like it or not, I'm sticking with you" he said firmly.

Mabel wiped her eyes, and then threw herself around Stan in a meaningful hug. "Thank you…" she coughed out.

Stan looked down, and then chuckled. "Hey don't get all sentimental on me pipsqueak, I'm only doing this because it's part of Grunkle duties".

Mabel smiled, and hugged him tighter, knowing that meant 'I love you'.

As Pacifica found her footing, she looked over and smiled, a bit of jealousy in her lack of familial bonding. "Well… what are you two waiting for… let's save Dipping Sauce!" she laughed.

Stan and Mabel looked at her, and then smiled warmly as the three of them ventured into town.

"Hey, it's getting' dark ladies, let's stop by Greasy's and I can find us some grub and a place to sleep" Stan said a tinge worriedly.

Pacifica looked at Mabel, "Can you translate that into English for me?" she asked absentmindedly.

Mabel didn't know whether to laugh or feel sorry for her, "Basically we're stopping by Lazy Susan's for dinner while Stan checks the alleys for sleeping bags".

Pacifica just stared at her for a moment. "…What's a 'sleeping bag'?"

Mabel took a deep breath, and just kept walking through the shimmering forest. By the time they arrived at the diner, night had fallen, and the full moon shone brightly against the stars.

The fluorescent lighting of the shop almost hurt their eyes, but the warm welcomes and smiling faces made up for it.

"Oh my god, Mabel! I'm your biggest fan!" shouted someone from the back. Mabel blushed and replied with a big "Thank you!" as the trio took their seats.

Lazy Susan came up to them, smiling brightly with both eyes open. "Well hey there handsome, can I get'chu your usual Stanford?"

Stan blinked, at first not even realizing she was speaking to him, and after a long pause, he asked "How much?"

Susan almost laughed, "What, did you start tonight without me? For you, it's always on the house".

Stan could practically hear a cashier's *cha-ching* going off in his head. "You know what beautiful, I'll take two" he said smoothly. Susan smiled wryly and headed off towards the kitchen.

Pacifica and Mabel looked at him half accusingly, but then looked back at their menus. Pacifica nearly threw up looking at all the peasant food, until something caught her eye. After taking a second look, she gasped as her eyes widened.

Mabel looked up from her menu. "Pacifica? What's wrong?" she asked worriedly.

Pacifica said nothing, but turned her menu over, pointing to an ad in the corner. There, printed clearly, was Gideon's symbol for the Tent of Telepathy, except it wasn't Gideon in the picture.

There, clearly visible, were Mabel and Dipper, as the Telepathy Twins.

The three were speechless for a long time, until Mabel began beaming, "Oh my god I'm so beautiful!"

Stan chuckled, "You're always beautiful sweetheart. But now we know something. Tomorrow morning, we're finding your brother. And to do that, we're heading to the mystery shack!"

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Zh mrtsggrnv uzooh, gsv nlmhgvih xivvk

Yfg lmv wdvooh dsvm blf uzoo zhovvk

Zm zmtvo drgs z hxliv gl hvggov

Z wlavm orevh rm dsrxs gl nvwwov

Z wvnlm drgs z hlfo gl ivzk

Zmw yilpvm kilnrhvh gl pvvk

Z ylb drgs elrxvh rm srh svzw

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Z orggov trio drgs z trzmg svzig

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Dsviv droo gsvb yv dsvm wvhgrmb xzooh

Dsvm z Krmv Givv yfimh, zmw z Hsllgrmt Hgzi uzooh…


	31. No Soul? No Problem

**[AN: I know it's been nearly a month. I am so sorry. But trust me, these next chapters are going to be big, and there's no way in hell I'm quitting now. This story is going to finish with blood sweat and tears, and you're going to love it. Now that I'm done ranting about my own idiocy and the breaking of three individual computers,**

 **Enjoy XD]**

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"…Wait what."

Stanley was staring blankly at the young man practically beaming in front of them. In his hands were flyers, flags, heck even a snow globe adorned with the Tent of Telepathy star. He was smiling so brightly his teeth shone more than Dipper's bare chest on a sunny day.

"YEAH! I never expected to see you here, but I just loved hanging out at the old diner hoping one day you would bring Mabel along!

The trio glanced at each other, and Pacifica slowly backed away from the man. Mabel on the other hand couldn't love him enough. Hugs and autographs were thrown around, much to Stan's concern.

"So… the Tent of Telepathy... That's where we are…" Stan muttered, trying to make it sound more as a statement than a question.

The man's sunny smile faded slightly, "Well… yes! …That's where you've always lived Stanford, and nowadays with the niblings making life so much better! …Did you start early tonight?"

Stan's face became frustrated, "Start what? Why does everyone keep asking me-" He fumed as Lazy Susan set down two shining bottles of very expensive whiskey in front of him.

"Drinks' on the house handsome, in case you forgot…"

Stan stared at the bottles intensely, both girls staring at him, waiting for his reaction. _This… this is wrong…_ Stan thought, _I hate whiskey… That was always… Bud's…. thing…_

 _…_ _Oh you've got to be ******* kidding me…_

Suddenly it all clicked. The merchandise. The Tent of Telepathy. The drinks.

 _…_ _I'm… Bud Gleeful…_

Stan looked over at the two girls, looking up at him with questioning eyes. Then he looked at the man, a look of confusion on his face. Stan sighed, but then put on a warm smile.

"Why thank you beautiful, mind if I take these to go?" he asked charmingly.

Susan looked at him with intrest, "You know you can do anything you want with me doll…" she purred.

Stan, never letting go of his crowd winning smile, immediately felt unbelievably uncomfortable.

"WELL… I have to take my niece home… see you all on the south side…" Stan called as he ushered out the two girls.

The man briefly took upon a crestfallen look, but was more than content that he'd gotten to meet them all. It was Mabel that was disappointed.

"Aww, Grunkle Stan, five more minutes…?" she begged.

Stan shook his head, "Kid, we've got a lot of work to do. And I need to get going…" he sighed. He looked over at Susan, cooking up some pie in the kitchen. "Hey, sweetcheeks, do you have a car I can borrow for the night…?" he asked hopefully.

Susan looked over her shoulder and smiled deviously, "Oh, you can use my car all night long… just like m-"

"OK THANKS" Stan panicked as he rushed out with the girls. Once they were all buckled in, Stan put the pedal to the metal.

"Jesus, I am NEVER going back there again in this dimension…" Stan heaved.

"I dunno, I thought that was just lovely!" Mabel preached.

Pacifica shifted uncomfortably. "…So… what's the plan?" She asked cautiously.

Stan slowed down a bit.

Well, for starters, I think a good idea would be to find this world's me. And more so, my brother. If anyone can help us find Dipper and a trans-dimensional trash bag, it's them… or, us… I hate dimension logic…" he muttered.

Pacifica looked down at the palm of her hand, still not a scratch on it. _I'm going to find answers…_ she thought, _one way or another…_

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"And you're sure you are capable of all this?" asked a very concerned Reverse Dipper. Samael looked down at him with incredible skepticism.

"…Did you really just ask me that question?" he replied with almost amusement at the boy's flustered reaction.

"Don't find my words as mockery, Archangel. It's simply… there are delicate matters in removing all party's involved…"

Sam actually laughed at that. "Oh, believe me, I know all about your petty human feelings towards this… 'Pacifica'…".

Rev Dipper actually felt his cheeks flush, and his anger growing from the humiliation this… thing… was making him endure. "You watch your tongue, Exile. Unless your demon is as much a liar as he is a coward, I believe you too are guilty of loving Hann-" he said before being shot into the wall behind him.

As Reverse Dipper spat out blood, he looked up to see Sam's eyes flaming pure white, his arm outstretched in his direction.

"…Angels…don't…feel…love…" he growled menacingly. "We're machines. Created to do one specific task. And when a machine stops working…" he said as he dropped the boy's body with a thud,

"…it gets thrown away…"

Rev Dipper looked up, and even if he couldn't see Sam's eyes through the burning fire, he could've sworn he had a look of intense regret and bitterness.

He slowly stood up, weary and pained. "This… changes nothing. Our deal still stands. You… remove my problem… I'll help you with yours…"

Sam smiled, his eyes returning to normal. "I'd hoped you'd see it my way. Now, just to be clear… you have already made arrangements for Pacifica to meet you midnight tonight, in the edge of the forest…" he said with mild amusement. Reverse Dipper said nothing, but nodded his red-faced head.

Just then Reverse Mabel walked in, examined the brother-shaped dent in the wall, and sat down on her bed.

"I still fail to see why you care so much for him, but your human minion is waking up." Mabel said quickly.

…Perfect… Sam thought to himself. However, another thought occurred.

"He's not my 'minion', he's my frie-" he spoke, cutting himself off.

Rev Mabel nearly laughed, "Tell me that the most powerful being in the world didn't just say that a human maggot was his 'Friend'…" she chuckled.

Sam turned away, but felt a kindling in his eyes.

"Oh… dear girl…" he said, snapping his fingers,

"…I'm just full of surprises…"

He turned around to see both twins completely unconscious. Seconds later, Will materialized in front of him.

"Do you really think this is going to work…?" he asked.

Sam grinned deviously, "My friend, would I ever lie to you…?"

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Dipper groggily opened his eyes. The feel of silk caressed the length of his body. As he slowly began to regain consciousness, he noticed a figure at the end of the bed he laid upon.

"Glad to see you're awake…" he heard Sam's voice say.

Dipper carefully sat up. Inexplicably, most of the cuts and bruises he remembered were gone, and he felt as though he'd somehow been healed all over his body.

"Dipper, do you want to help me stop Bill?" Sam asked conspicuously.

Dipper breathed, "Yeah… obviously… of course".

"Do you promise to help me in any way you can?" Sam asked.

Dipper, despite being confused, responded, "Absolutely"

Though he couldn't see Sam's face, Dipper was positive he was smirking.

"…Then let's get you out of that bed…"

Dipper, still confused, held out his hand for Sam to help him up.

Sam turned around, his eyes closed. He reached out and held Dipper's hand. Dipper braced for the pulling force…

…but felt none…

Dipper looked up at Sam's face. The face he trusted more than anything.

"Oh Dipper…" Sam said… his voice sounding a bit off…

Until Sam opened his eyes.

His blue, slit, eyes.

"You know what they say about people who don't learn from history!" Will shouted, as he pulled his arm back. Dipper screamed, and felt the force of a thousand comets soaring through the sky…

…rip his soul from his body…

'Dipper' opened his eyes.

"…You really did it Sam…" the boy said, looking at the Archangel, whose eyes had reverted to normal.

Sam laughed sinisterly, "Anything for a friend…"

The duo walked to the boarder of the house, not listening to the screams of confusion behind them.

"…Here goes nothing…" Will said as his dark black cloak began to glow. Slowly taking a step forward…

…He phased right through the barrier…

Will laughed and cried at the same time, blessing Sam for everything. The Archangel shrugged it off.

"Now it's time to finish things…"

Sam and Will began to walk away, with Dipper calling out to them, but to no avail. He kept after them until he suddenly felt like he flew into a brick wall. Dipper then realized. The unicorn spell.

He was trapped inside…

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

(ivzw rm hlmt)

Sld nfxs wlvh rg gzpv fmgro z svzig yivzph

Sld evib olmt fmgro blfi gifhg rh tlmv

Sld nzmb orvh xzm blf gvoo rm oruv

Sld nzmb hvxivgh groo zm zmtvo wrvh…

Sld nzmb wvnlmh xzm blf slow rmhrwv

Sld xzm blfi hlfo gvoo blf gl slow lm grtsg

Dsvm vevibgsrmt blf hzb

Rh gl nzmrkfozgv

Zmw orv….

Dv slow lm gl blfi hrmh

Zmw slow blf gl gsvn

Yfg glhh gsvn zhrwv

Yvxzfhv blf zmw R…

Dv pmld dsviv blf'ev yvvm

Dszg blf'ev wlmv zmw dszg blf'ev hvvm

Yfg gsv lmv gsrmt blf wlm'g fmwvihgzmw

Rh sld nfxs blf nvzm gl nv…

Zmw ml nzggvi dszg blf hzb

Zmw ml nzggvi dszg blf pmld

Blf droo mvevi ivzorav

Dszg rg nvzmh gl dzgxs olev tild…

Gslfts dv nzb yv lu dliwh zkzig

Lu krlfh zmw lu hrm

R hvv blfi svzig

Zmw pmld R'oo hgzig

Gl hvv gszg tllw droo drm…

Wvhkrgv dszg blf blfihvou yvorvev

Ml nzggvi dszg blf'ev orevw gsilfts

R xlfow mvevi hvv blf zh vero

Yvxzfhv, Hznnb…

R

Olev

Blf…


	32. Tick Tock Golden Locks

**[Author's Note (PLEASE READ): Oh man, here it comes. The next chapter is the series finale. I've loved writing this, as this is my first successful fanfiction I've ever written. Thank you all for such amazing support. As for all the fanart, I really am trying my best to work on all the videos. Thanks again for everyone's submissions!**

 **For this chapter, obviously reviews are appreciated, but for this I really want to see the fan's theories on how the story will end, and what I should possibly do afterwards. I look forward to hearing from you all! Enjoy!]**

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"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME!?" Dipper screamed at unhearing ears. "I TRUSTED YOU! I BELIEVED IN YOU! SAMSONNNNN!" he cried out.

…But nobody heard…

Dipper floated to the corner of the room, silent and shaking. Then, inexplicably, his eyes began tearing up. He didn't know he could even do that in spirit form.

He cried in the corner for what seemed like hours. The tears quickly turned to icy mist upon dripping off his face. It was so cold in the void…

 _How… How could you do this…_ Dipper racked his mind _, …How… Why… What do you possibly have to gain…?_

Dipper's sobbing carried on relentlessly. However… suddenly… he stopped. This wasn't the Samson Chains he knew. He looked up into the colorless ceiling.

"I know you can hear me. You sent me on a mission. I need your help. Please, I'm begging you.

…I need to save Sam…

…I need to get him back…"

"…Please…"

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It was nearing eleven o'clock when Will and his faithful companion reached the Gravity Falls Mystery Shack. A devious smile crossed the lengths of the two as they approached.

"You really expect this plan to work?" Will asked concerned.

Samael looked at him reassuringly. "Relax, my friend. I promise you everything will turn out just the way it's meant to…"

Sam headed off towards the front entrance while Will made his way up to the roof as stealthily as he could.

As he looked through the window, he could see the pudgy preteen sleeping soundly in his bed. Will chuckled to himself. Pine Tree looked so vulnerable… so easy to…

 _No. Stay focused on the task at hand..._ With a snap of his fingers, the window swung open, and he put a silencing charm on the room just to be safe. No need for any unwanted visitors…

Will smiled evilly. As he floated himself into the bedroom, he hovered beside Gideon. _This is going to be so much fun…_

He so desperately wanted to turn any dream the boy was having into his worst nightmare. But this wasn't the time. Not when so much was on the line.

Will sat on the bed opposite him, sometimes reserved for when Pacifica would sleep over. He looked around, genuinely impressed with all the work this human boy had done trying to find the author.

"Sleep well Pine Tree… Sweet nightmares…" Will whispered aloud.

He sighed, and reached into Dipper's cloak, revealing journals one and two, grabbing Gideon's own copy of three from his desk. _No use giving him another…_ he reasoned.

He lay the journals open beside one another, all opened to the same page. The metavortex instructions.

Will levitated back out the window, but not before snapping his fingers before he left.

Appearing atop the journals floated down a single piece of paper,

"*Vending Machine Code*

*B1AC3*

*Type 46'\ to SAVE*

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Sam knocked kindly on the front door, despite all the 'no service' signs posted at this time of night.

After a few minutes of no response, he knocked again.

Moments later, a low gruff voice with a thick southern accent called out, "Hey Dipshit! Can't you fucking read!? WE'RE CLOSED!"

Sam smiled deviously. He'd done his research. This Bud Gleeful had all the worst qualities of Stan, the drinking, the swearing, and most importantly… one that was too much like his father…

Holding the amulet in one hand, a wave of his fingers caused a small metallic click to resonate with the door's lock. Calmly and casually, he opened the door.

Right as a pistol shot nearly skimmed his ear. Samael barely blinked. "Nice to see you again Bud…" he said wearily.

 _I need to play my cards right here or this could get ugly fast…_

Bud huffed, but resisted going for a second shot. "Who the fuck do you think you are and by my accord, sir, you and I have never met. So I'd suggest you start talking real fast…" he said, his trigger finger quivering.

"I'm one of Rico's informants. We met on a few 'business ventures'…." Sam lied, remembering everything he could from Stan's criminal history.

Bud noticeably eased on the gun but kept it held high. "I settled my debts with your boss, now why don't you tell me what the fuck you're doing breaking into my goddamn house?" Bud pressed.

Sam internally praised his luck but kept his expression steadfast. "You of all people should know Bud, its improper to do business with eyes watching. I came when I felt it best. And for the record, we both know you scammed him out of some earnings, but he's willing to overlook that…" Sam said imagining that Stan would never settle anything without an upper hand. Bud sighed but nodded.

He holstered the pistol into his jacket pocket, "Alright alright, what does the bastard want this time?" Bud asked impatiently.

Sam chuckled, "Would you mind terribly if we had this discussion over a bottle of wine? I'll gladly compensate you" he asked earnestly.

Bud looked at him hard, but turned towards the wine cellar. "What's yer poison?" Bud asked.

Sam slightly winced, recollection flashing in his eyes, but kept his composure. "Anything'll do…" he replied, examining the room. In the kitchen there were nothing but plates, cups, knives…

"There's just one more thing you should know about me Bud…" Sam grinned darkly, as he made a quick motion with his hand.

A slick whoosh sound made the room suddenly go silent.

"No matter what… I always keep my deals…"

His only response was the sound of glass shattering and the thud of Bud's body hitting the floor.

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Mabel held her breath as the car came to a halt as the car came to a stop. Grasping Pacifica's hand tightly, they followed Stan to the front door of 'their' home.

Pacifica looked up wearily, "What do you expect to find here?" she asked.

Stan sighed. "…hopefully some answers…." he said before the door swung open. Everyone eyes shot open and the girls gasped; standing before them was an exact copy of their uncle Stan.

No one spoke for a good while. Finally, Reverse Stan sighed and rubbed his glasses. "Welp, I knew those gremlins would try to replace me with an android one of these days. Just didn't expect you to try to take the rest of my fami-" he muttered before Stan backhanded him in the face.

"We're not robots you lunatic! We're just from another dimension… which I suppose sounds just as crazy…" Stan replied.

The reverse Stan looked at the trio skeptically. Pressing two fingers to Stan's neck, much to his concern, his eyes shot open upon detecting a pulse.

"You… You shouldn't have come here…" he stammered. He looked around wildly, and looked as though he expected something to leap out of the nearby shadows. Suddenly his eyes narrowed. "Follow me…"

The three wandered in cautiously. Inside there was macabre artwork lining the walls and ominous triangles at every corner. They walked past a large set of doors, entering then into a smaller bedroom. Reverse Stan sat down and took a deep breath. "You wouldn't have come unless you're incredibly stupid or incredibly desperate…"

Mabel looked at the poor man with pity. "Grunkle Stan… what happened to you? What happened to the happy caring person we all know and love?" she asked hopefully.

Reverse Stan looked up in surprise. "I didn't think there was a Mabel out there that knew 'love' was a word…"

The three looked at him with confusion, until Stan spoke up. "Look… I don't know what this world is like, or what could have made me such a sorry wreck, but right now my nephew is in trouble, and we need your Stanford's help in finding him"

Reverse Stan looked up, and spoke slowly, "…You don't have to refer to me as if I'm not standing right here…"

Stan became annoyed, "Can it wise guy, you know quite well I'm talking about Sixer"

Reverse Stan's expression became disillusioned. "I AM Stanford Pines! Who the heck is 'Sixer'?" he exclaimed.

Stan took a step back. A look of anger crossed his face. "Thirty years isn't long enough to forget your own brother!" he yelled.

Rev Stan went wide eyed. "I… He can't be… HE ISNT REAL!" he yelled back. "Thirty years ago I moved to Gravity Falls and set up shop. Everything prior to 1982 is just a…. hazy blur… but ever since then I've had dreams. About a me that isn't me. A me with… six… fingers…" he stammered, realization dawning on him. "…He's real…?"

Mabel chimed up, "Grunkle Stan… this sounds exactly like what happened to McGucket… the blind eye society must have wiped your mind…" she said with a lump in her throat. "Oh my god Grunkle Stan I'm so sorry…" she said hugging Reverse Stan.

He looked up at his counterpart. "Can we trade nieces some time…?" he laughed empty-heartedly.

Pacifica was still trying to wrap her head around everything. "So… now there's three of you?" she asked perplexed. "Four…" Stan coughed out. He looked at his doppelganger, his eyes filled with sorrow. "Your name is Stanley Pines. The real Stanford Pines is likely in another dimension for this reality. Sometime around the accident… your memory must've been wiped. …I'm sorry…" he said, pulling the man in front of him into a bearhug.

Reverse Stan looked forward in half shock, tears welling up in his eyes. "…Oh my god…" he breathed out, realizing that all the nightmares he'd had over all his years were all real. "Poindexter…"

The girls eyed each other, neither fully sure what to do in the moment. Pacifica held on to Mabel's hand tightly, begging reassurance.

"Grunkle… Stans… we need your help. My brother is missing and we need to find him. I need to make things right. When he left… he couldn't even look at me…" Mabel said between tears.

Reverse Stan put a hand on her shoulder. "You have so much love in your heart…" he trailed off, "…I won't rest until we get your brother back".

The girls' faces beamed, "Can you find him?" Pacifica asked.

Rev Stan took a deep breath, "Not exactly…" he sighed, "…But I know someone who can…"

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The double doors opened promptly, and felt a rush of strangely cold air chill them to the bone. After a moment, the four looked down on two sleeping copies of Dipper and Mabel. Pacifica's mouth went agape, while Mabel herself was trying to contain her excitement.

"Don't get your hopes up kid…" Reverse Stan said in an empty tone, "…They're nothing like you…"

As he walked over to the twins, he sighed and attempted to shake them awake.

Reverse Dipper blinked his eyes open. "…Ok… note to self… try not to piss of the Arc-" he stammered upon seeing the trio in the corner staring at him. "…Hello…" he managed after a good while.

Mabel squealed at the boy's attire, "Aww you look so adorable in that!" prompting Reverse Dipper's cheeks to flush with shame and anger. Suddenly, upon glancing at Pacifica, his eyes flashed open upon a memory.

"We need to go. Now." He said in a low, threatening voice, his face filling with terror. "She's in danger…" he choked out.

The four looked confused, "What are you talking about ki-" Stan asked before he was cut off. "We don't have time!" Rev Dipper yelled. He looked back on his sleeping sister. "…Leave her. She'd only get in our way… Get in the car!" he panicked, before Stan grabbed him by the collar.

"Listen Double Dipper, no one's going anywhere until you tell us exactly what is going on here!" Despite the rush, the look in the boy's eyes told everyone how frightened he truly was.

"…The other Dipper. That's why you're here, right? I know how to find him. I can take you to him. But right now, I need to get to the outskirts of the forest. I need to make sure she's safe…" he trailed off.

The four looked at each other, hoping _someone_ could provide an answer.

Pacifica became noticeably worried. "…It's me… isn't it?" she asked. Reverse Dipper said nothing, but closed his eyes and slowly nodded.

Pacifica breathed and grabbed his hand. "Where are the keys?"

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Sam couldn't help but keep one eye on his partner as the two drove into the woods. The clock was nearing midnight and the demon was getting nervous.

"What if this doesn't work…?" Will asked worriedly. Sam glanced at him in contempt, but quickly reverted to his smiling disposition. "Trust me. Everything is going to go _exactly_ as planned…"

'Dipper' breathed a sigh of relief. "You know, I'm impressed how easily you deceived that mortal. He actually trusted you" Will laughed. Sam suddenly felt a knot in his chest, but kept his expression calm.

"You made him believe he was your 'friend'… that he actually mattered…" Will chuckled, "He never even saw it coming".

Sam felt as though a knife had been stabbed in his chest. "Oh, my friend… I'm just full of surprises…" he said as he brought the car to a stop.

The two exited; however Sam stayed back, and observed the demon walk up to a beautiful girl in the forest clearing. Watching them from afar, Sam's devious smile turned to a sullen look of regret _. …I'm sorry everyone…_ he thought to himself, as he reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out the only two items he still owned.

 _…_ _I'm so sorry…_

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Gsv grnv szh xlnv

Gsv xszkgvi vmwh

Z urmzo xslrxv

Yvgdvvm uznrob zmw uirvmwh

Z wvnlm'h drhs

Zm zmtvo'h ivtivg

Gsv grnv szh xlnv

Gl kozxv blfi yvgh

Dsl droo irhv

Zmw dsl droo uzoo

Zmw dsl droo gib

Gl xszmtv rg zoo

Gsv kldvi lu lmv

Gsv kldvi lu zoo

Mld xlnvh gsv grnv

Uli gsv hpb gl uzoo

Dsvm gifv xlolih xlnv gl ortsg

Dsvm grnvovhh uirvmwhsrkh uzro

Qfwzh wlvhm'g vevm pmld

Gsv nvzmrmt lu yvgizbzo

Gsv xslrxv nfhg yv nzwv

Yv rg Svzevm li Svoo

Li z klhhryov gsriw


	33. Finale Part 1: A Pine Tree Burns

**[AN: PLEASE READ: Hey everyone, TheTrueAmerican here! Now I know what you're all thinking. "What is this PART ONE bs!?" Well, know that I had intended for this to be the ultimate finale, but the chapter just got so damn long I decided to cut it into parts. In my opinion it actually works better this way, but I do apologize for the inconvenience of those expecting the end game right now. A little bonus for some people, and I hate to do this self-promotion, but I will be posting progress reports and other tangents on the finale on my twitter: TheTrueAmer1can. As for the story itself, I really hope you all enjoy, this chapter is one of my favorites.**

 **WELCOME, ONE AND ALL, TO THETRUEAMERIGEDDAN!]**

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"…Do you really think he's ready…?"

 **"** **No. Not yet. But I think he may be… very soon…"**

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Dipper felt so hopeless for the second time that day, watching his family leave him behind. No one had given him a glance, despite his constant shouting and begging to listen. He sat alone, wondering what to do. For what it was worth, the twins kept their room tightly kept, no socks laying around for him to speak through.

He laid upon the silken bed, helpless and dejected, looking for a sign, something to point him in the right direction. Looking around, he searched desperately for something to use as a vessel. With the room cleared, the only thing of value he could find available to him was this dimension's version of his sister. However, even if she were to awaken, Dipper knew he would be met with the same outcome as all that came before her.

He sighed into the frosty air. _She's my last chance_ he thought solemnly, wondering what else he could possibly do. Constantly searching for something to assist him, Dipper stopped in midair, a small gasp escaping his spectral lips. He had an idea, an insane, possibly dangerous idea, but an idea none the less. He turned slightly, seeing her fragile form sprawled across the floor. He walked, or rather floated over to her, kneeling beside her still body.

In his mind was a raging warzone, debating with himself if this was even ethical. Could he really do that to anyone, much less his own sister? Dipper closed his eyes, not wanting to deal with the choice he had to make. _You need to do this…_ he rationalized, _You're the only one who can help him now…_

He reached his hand out, but instantly drew back. _Are you insane!? You could hurt her! You have no idea if this will even work, what if something goes wrong?_

Dipper breathed hard, and slowly opened his eyes, looking upon the delicate figure before him. Holding back tears, he reached out one hand.

"I have to try…"

Pressing his palm against her forehead, a dazzling blue light erupted from Mabel's amulet. Suddenly, she violently opened her eyes, only for them to roll back in her head, glowing with the same vibrant blue.

The room dazzled around him, and as he felt the power surge within him, he suddenly felt as though the weight of the entire universe was crushing him, forcing his existence into another reality.

And then everything went black.

Dipper opened his eyes slowly. Feeling the weight being lifted from his soul, he breathed deeply. He saw a hand in his view, and as it flexed and stretched he realized it was his own. His arm promptly collapsed on his chest as he looked emptily into the grey sky.

As eternity passed, Dipper felt as though he had come here for a reason. What felt as years and years he spent staring, trying to remember what he was doing here. Suddenly, he clutched his chest tightly, terrified recollection flooding his expression.

Dipper bolted up, "Mabel!" he cried out to no one, as there was no one around as far as his eyes could see. All around was a grey world, lost of emotion or reason. Dipper could feel the whispers from the void, beckoning him forth, warning him to stay away. As he looked into the emptiness, there was no clear path, nowhere he was supposed to go. So that's exactly where he went.

As he walked, his fear grew, and the emptiness took form. Alleys, roads, buildings that would erect themselves only to crumble to rubble. The farther he travelled, the more Dipper began to see a pattern to the constructs. Things that could only be more familiar if he could just remember.

And then, Dipper came upon a house unlike the others, as it had constructed itself directly in his path. Dipper could have sworn he'd known the place, if only…

And there it was. Along the old, rusted mailbox was an engraving.

 _Pines' Residence_

He remembered. He knew the place like clockwork. Of course he had… he'd lived here his whole life. All his childhood memories. All his sister and he had ever shared, it was right in front of him. As he slowly made his way up the front steps, he could smell the fragrance of apple pie, feel the breeze of a summers wind.

Until he opened the door.

Dipper recoiled in horror, stumbling back. The entire house erupted into a sea of crimson flame. Pictures of his childhood fell from the ceiling, burning to cinder as they touched the ground. Dipper cried out in fear as he back over the front steps.

When he looked back, the house had vanished, the smell of sunder and brimstone evaporating into the air. The ground beneath felt hollow, and as he turned he saw that he was no longer lying on the pavement, but rather sodden earth.

"Nice place eh?"

Dipper's eyes darted to the side, looking upon a dead pine tree. Lying in the branches was a figure in a dark cloak, his yellow eyes shining in the eerie light. And all at once Dipper realized that it was in fact himself.

"I mean, if you overlook the overall gloominess and the infinite passage of time, this is a pretty good get if I do say so myself…"

Dipper didn't know what to think anymore. "…W-What… how are you…?"

Bipper shrugged his shoulders. "Heck if I know. I swear it's like you people have no imagination. Your mindscape is doors, your sister is roads. I mean, where's the pazzaz…?"

Dipper stood speechless. "-I mean this is just depressing! I'm thinking balloons. Maybe a bounce house over there. By that bush we could have one of those things people hit each other with until one falls over, you know those things? The big sticks with the pillow things on the ends? That'd be nice…"

Dipper looked up at his doppelganger with terrified confusion. "Wh-What's your game?" he asked meekly. Bipper didn't even look at him.

Dipper took a breath, then spoke with a little more confidence, "Why are you here? What are you gonna do to me"? Again, Bipper was silent.

"Answer me!" Dipper said in anger, just for a moment forgetting his fear.

Bipper looked out into the void, contemplating. Then, suddenly, he snapped his fingers. "Pugil sticks. That's what they're called". He said contently.

Dipper looked like he was about to blow a fuse. "ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME!?" he yelled out.

Bipper groaned, "Yes, now would you keep it down? People are trying to relax here" he sighed, "Sheesh…"

Dipper couldn't bring himself to formulate words, however the expression on his face must've been clear enough.

Bipper sighed in something bordering disappointment. "Pine Tree, we're a smart kid. We're in Mabel's mindscape, not yours. Did you really think I could possibly be a threat to you here?"

Dipper stepped back a foot, but thought about it for a moment. As he rationalized, it made perfect sense that-

"Because I could totally kill you if I wanted to right now." Bipper said flatly.

Dipper's face fell, then in a panic, picked up the closest thing to him and held it like a sword. Which, upon closer inspection, Dipper realized that was exactly what it was. A sword…

…made out of balloons.

Bipper smiled. "See what I mean? So much more lively…" he grinned.

Dipper stood there momentarily, the twisted feelings of agony, regret, and defeat swimming though his mind. In a last ditch effort…

No. It was too much. Dipper sank to his knees, feeling tears fall along his face. He kneeled upon the soil, head hung low, waiting for the cold embrace of death. After all, how could he possibly face an opponent like this in his reality?

But as Dipper sat there, he only felt a hand below his head, lifting his gaze. There stood his counterpart, eyes glowing as yellow as the sun, and a warm smile, full of empathy and care.

"Hey. Chin up there, kiddo. I'm not the thing you need saving from."

Dipper didn't know what to say. He could only sit there, shocked in disbelief, words unable to escape his mouth.

"…It's been a good run for me, kid. I've seen some pretty incredible things through your eyes. But I can't stay here much longer…" he chuckled, however a twinge of sadness behind it. "When Sam tried to destroy me, I thought I could control it. Come back. But the truth is, there's nothing to come back too. He closed me off, shut me out. Without a stable link to a mindscape…

But then you came here. A direct connection. And I could take everything I ever wanted, right now. All I'd have to do is kill you, and you'd be looking at Dipper numero uno.

…Or at least, that's how it would have worked before...

You see, I'm just a shadow. Not a copy of you, not even a lingering memory. I'm a construct of your mind. The funny thing about shadows is, if you destroy the thing creating it, it disappears. I could never fully erase you without erasing myself along with it. So I started thinking…" he trailed off. Dipper looked into his reflection, and could only see sadness and regret.

"...The thing I wanted the most, was the thing holding you back. The fear. The _rage_. …The cloak Sam gave you, it brought out all of my qualities. The silk, while granting power to its wearer, also brings out the darkest sin in them.

…and it destroyed the person you were.

I don't know what you did to me. I'm not supposed to feel empathy or caring. But when I saw what you became… Who I was… I could never let it see the light again. I saw how it tore your family apart while Sam played you all like puppets on strings. The only way you can hope to save him from himself is with you and Mabel working together. It's something that I could never do. I could never feel love…

You and your sister together can accomplish anything. I believe that. But you need to trust her. You need to believe in her. You need to find her…" Bipper said, although for some reason as he spoke he began to choke up on his next words.

"…But…But you can't do that with me stickin' around…" he half laughed, "…Y-You know how things are. World's not big enough for the both of us, am I right… hehe…"

Bipper sighed heavily, losing his perpetual smile. "I can't let you go. I embody everything that is stopping you from doing what needs to be done. Don't you get it? I'm your fear. Your agony. As long as I'm alive, you're as good as dead.

…So I'm leaving. Forever.

…You can take the show on the road from here, kid. Just remember everything I taught you. Don't make me regret this. And one more thing Dipstick…"

Dipper breathed heavily, nearly choking on himself,

"…Buck up. You've done crazier things than this. So I need you to look in the face of danger and draw a turkey on his right cheek. You got that?" Bipper asked, smiling hardheartedly.

Dipper wanted to scream, freak out, cry, something. But instead, he slowed his breathing, looked Bipper in the eye, and nodded valantly.

Bipper smiled and closed his eyes. "Good kid… now you have a job to do. Save your sister. Save Sam. Save everyone. I'm counting on you Pine Tree…" he said, pushing Dipper away.

"…Make us proud…"

Dipper stood in utter shock. He turned around, "Wait, save her from-"

But there was no one there.

Dipper stood in utter shock, trying and failing to process the information Bipper had just given him. He racked his brain trying to crunch the numbers. His worst nightmare had just spoken to him… about what? Some points of relevance that all added up to a bullshit 'you had the power in you the whole time' monologue?

No. No, it had to be deeper than that. The one thing in his life that scarred and tortured him more than anything else in comparison had given him a message, then abruptly vanished. He would have only done something like that if somehow what he'd said was more important than his own self-perseverance.

Dipper felt violated and resentful, among other, more deep seeded emotions. However, to his astonishment, Dipper had an odd sense of peace bestowed on him, as if a great burden had just been lifted from his shoulders.

Dipper sat down on the ground below, burying his head in his hands. He needed time, any time to understand anything that was going on. As he exhaled, he finally lowered his arms. However, something unexpected caught his eye. There was some form of inscription on his right hand. As he brought it close, the lettering started to become legible.

 ** _I know how you feel kid._**

 ** _I felt that same exact way._**

 ** _That night at the mansion._**

 ** _You'll have time to understand._**

 ** _But for now,_**

 ** _Follow the yellow brick road._**

 ** _Because you're off to see the Wizard…_**

Dipper couldn't begin to tell how long of a rant he could have of his current confusion. However, in a fit of riot, he noticed that the ground below had changed, the sodden dirt now…

…a brick road…

Despite its grey appearance, Dipper at least now finally had a steadfast answer to one of his many problems. Putting his other thoughts aside for the brief moment, he cautiously walked down the path, carefully minding each step he took. As he made his way across, Dipper could see several gory and disturbing scenes wander by him, and he began to wonder if this was truly his sister's mindscape.

 _I mean… where's all the kittens and boybands and junk…_ Dipper wondered, _This can't possibly be what goes on in my sister's head…_

But as he finally made his way down the cobbled path, he came upon the edge of what looked to be an old garden, however all the flowers had since rotted away. Stepping inside lightly, he instantly became very self-conscious, as if the flowers themselves were watching his every move. Suddenly Dipper heard a loud crack under his foot. Stepping back, Dipper's heart nearly skipped a beat when he realized what he'd stepped on was in fact a human skull. It wasn't until then that Dipper noticed the granite cornerstones littering the field, realizing what this truly was. A graveyard…

Rushing towards the exit, Dipper promptly tripped and fell atop the pathway. Looking back to view what he had tripped across, suddenly before him was a tombstone, cracked and broken, but still to large to have been there just seconds prior.

Once Dipper reobtained control of his breathing, he took a moment to examine the stone. It was covered in dust, and by the looks of it, it seemed to be in the worst condition of any in the rest of the graveyard. Carefully outstretching his hand, Dipper cautiously wiped the grime off the stones' surface, only to be taken back by what was inscribed upon it.

 _The Pines Family_

 _2010_

 ** _May they rest in pieces…_**

Before Dipper even had time to breath, a crack of thunder broke his train of thought. Looking up, the sky had darkened, and the hair on his back stood on end. Looking back, he bolted for the exit, putting as much distance as he could between himself and the yard gate. As he ran, Dipper only had one thing on his mind.

I need to find Mabel

Against his better judgement, he continued to follow the stone path. However, unlike all the other times, his journey was barren. There were no memories, no tombstones, no weather. Just a house. Dipper skipped a beat as somehow he finally noticed it. Thinking back, he could remember seeing it, but for some reason it didn't register in his mind that it was there until he was merely a few feet away from it.

Dipper stood motionless at the mouth of the entranceway for only a few seconds. Hesitantly, he reached out his hand, grabbing hold of the doorknob. With one fell swoop, he carefully turned the knob, and pushed the door open.

And there, in the center of the only room in the house, sat a girl dressed in blue. She seemed focused on something, and after taking a few steps Dipper could see that she was reading a book she'd grabbed off her shelf. Dipper mentally sighed in silent thanks, and looked at the girl in blissful empathy.

"…Mabel…?"

The girl looked up, and to Dipper's praise it was in fact his sister, although the expression on her face seemed less than appeased to see him. She rolled her eyes as she sighed in annoyance.

"What are _you_ doing here?"

Dipper stumbled on his words as he tried to find him.

"I… I'm here because I need your help…"

Reverse Mabel looked at him as if he'd just grown a second head, then proceeded to drown out the room in laughter.

Dipper had never heard a more chilling sound in his life. It was far from a kind, warm laugh, but rather sickly and evil. It sent shivers down his spine…

"You… You actually…." Mabel stammered between tears "…You actually thought you could come **here** , and ask _me_ , to help _you_ …"she said, barely able to contain herself.

Dipper stood there, lost and confused, waiting until Mabel calmed down. "…And why, might I ask, would I ever do that?" she said, still chuckling.

Dipper looked at his sister's twin with disbelief. This was really Mabel Pines?

"…Honestly… I don't know…" He stammered, expecting his sister to jump at the chance to help her brother. I mean, they were family…

…Right?

Mabel scoffed and laughed to herself. "Now, if you don't mind…" her tone turning deadly serious, "Leave me alone".

Dipper stood there speechless for a few minutes, watching as Mabel quietly went back to reading her book. As he stayed there half in shock, he slowly turned around. He silently floated towards the door, and reached out for the door knob, but suddenly… something deep inside him snapped.

Dipper's eyes seethed with rage, and with a quick flick of his hand, a beam of constructed energy burned through the book in Mabel's hands.

Mabel sat motionless for a few moments, her head hung with her flowing hair covering her eyes. However, Dipper could hear her chuckling to herself, a demonic grin spread wide across her face.

"You know… for my brother… _I really didn't think you could get any more stupid_ " Mabel sneered. In a flash she looked up, both her eyes burning with a vibrant blue, her headband glowing as well. It was in that moment Dipper realized, she possessed Gideon's amulet.

Mabel levitated herself to her feet, pulling a crimson stained knife out from her styled leggings. Dipper looked at her with conviction, his absence of fear surprising him, but not enough to sway him from his goal.

"Do you know everything your mindscape put me through? What I had to do to get here? I came all this way, and you would just throw me away!? I'm your brother Mabel! Even across dimensions, you would just abandon me like that!? What ever happened to the mystery twins?" Dipper asked her hopefully.

Mabel's sadistic smile only widened. "You know, I've just been _dying_ to make some heads roll lately. Life in here can be so boring. I have a great idea. **Let's have some fun** " she said as she threw Dipper against the wall. In just that brief moment, Dipper didn't process Mabel rushing across the room until her knife was imbedded in his forearm.

Dipper cried out in terror, only to realize he felt no pain. _Well obviously, genius, you're in the mindscape…_ Dipper thought. "Mabel, snap out of it! Your family is in trouble, we need your help!"

Mabel looked at Dipper with a warm, caring, empathetic expression, before the flame behind her eyes flared and the knife in Dipper's arm began to burn blue. Dipper screamed in agony as the blade somehow seared his flesh and bone from the inside.

"And I should care because…?" Mabel asked as she grasped her hand around the knife, pushing it deeper. The look of tears streaming down Dipper's face gave her such a euphoric feeling, and it became so difficult to pull the knife back out that she was surprised she pulled it off.

Dipper fell to the ground, sobbing and gasping for air. With a snap of her fingers, the hole in Dipper's arm faded, and after a moment Dipper looked up to see her facing away from him.

"Your turn"

Dipper's startled confusion was just as easily replaced with concern. "Why should you- WHY SHOUL D YOU CARE? What is wrong with yo- YOU'RE LETTING YOUR FAMILY SUFFER! What kind of Mabel Pines are you?" Dipper asked in disbelief.

Even facing away from him, Dipper knew she was smirking, laughing softly to herself. "What kind of Mabel Pines am I…?" She looked back, the expression on her face downright satanic. "I'm the strongest"

The atmosphere seemed to get darker by the second. Reverse Mabel looked back for only a minute before Dipper heard her speak. "Tim's up…" she said as her knife began to glow blue once more. "If you won't fight… I'll just kill you quickly."

"Mabel… please… you're my sister… I love you…"

And in just a split second, the smile on the girl's face flickered. The fire behind her confused eyes died down, and her composure lost its edge for merely a moment. Mabel laughed half-heartedly to herself, her voice shaking ever so slightly.

"…Wh-What… what did you just say…?" She asked illudicrously.

Dipper looked her in the eye. Not with fear, not with anger, but with compassion. "I don't know who hurt you so much to make you feel this way, but I love you. I will always love you. Your uncle said he didn't think you knew the word love. Prove him wrong."

Mabel scoffed in feigned annoyance, although Dipper was sure he could see sorrow in her eyes. "You say that… as if I'd be sad… as though I'd regret it, but I don't!"

Dipper looked heart-stricken, "Mabel, please… You're my sister. I need you to love again. I'm begging you, help me, please… You're my family…"

Mabel's stricken expression betrayed her, and the knife in her hand clanged to the floor. Her face contorted into a deep seeded anger, and the lump in her throat was becoming ever more apparent.

"F-Family…?" She choked out a laugh.

"Family… what the hell has family ever done for me? Perfection… prestige… no disappointments. But then one day, a stupid girl makes a stupid mistake… and suddenly you cut her out of your god forsaken lives forever. You never gave her any second chances… you never gave her any hope… YOU NEVER GAVE HER ANY LOVE!" Mabel screamed as her eyes burst into flame, the blade shooting across the room and brutally impaling Dipper's chest.

Dipper's eyes bolted in pained shock, and his breathing became short. He didn't know if he could die in the mindscape, or what would happen if he did. What he knew was that despite the thick blood he was spitting out with every breath, he didn't want to find out.

Mabel was a being of pure rage, her will driving the knife deeper into her brother. "YOU THINK I CARE ABOUT MY FAMILY?" she yelled, "I would love nothing more than to kill you, right now…. You're weak. You're NOTHING compared to me, and I care NOTHING about you! Not you, not my brother, not my parents, NOT ANYONE!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. There was a moment afterwards where the only sound in the room was that of Mabel's heavy breathing.

"…Then why are you crying…?"

And suddenly any sound was sucked out of the room. Reverse Mabel looked at Dipper in shock, a shaking hand rising up to her face. As fingers wiped along her cheeks, Mabel could feel the slick accumulation of tears.

In one fell swoop, Mabel sank to her knees, any trace of magic in her abandoned. Painfully, Dipper removed the knife from within, and slid it behind him. As he looked up, all he could see was the face of a little girl, hopeless and afraid. Slowly, carefully, he knelt down beside her, and wrapped his arms around her quivering body. As soon as his hands held her in his embrace, Dipper could hear the unmistakable sound of Mabel's crying. Across dimensions, he knew Mabel only cried like this when there was something truly worth crying over

Dipper sat in silence for a long time, listening to his sister, remembering the things she had said. _How much could these people have hurt you to be this way…?_

Dipper let go, and looked into his sister's streaming eyes. Dipper's own eyes began tearing up, despite what she had done to him, he still loved his sister. "I'm so sorry…" He managed to say, before Mabel nearly tackled him in a hug, sobbing into his shirt.

"Mabel… I need to save my sister… our sister. I'm begging you. Will you help me?"

Reverse Mabel looked at him for a long while. As she began to extend her hand, she drew back slightly.

"D-Dipper….? I… I need you to make me a promise…" Reverse Mabel said solemly. Dipper looked into her eyes. "Anything…" he replied truthfully. Mabel began to swell up in tears again, but managed to speak one final time.

"Promise that you will never let her become like me…" She cried.

Dipper looked deeply into her with understanding and compassion. He smiled warmly, and reached out for her hand. As the handshake erupted into blue flame and the world around them began to turn white, Dipper hugged his sister one last time.

"I promise…"

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

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…

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Gszmp blf Krmvh, ulivevi nliv

Gsv uirvmwh R drhsvw uli…


	34. Finale Part 2: A Shooting Star Falls

_"Why don't we just kill them all?" Will asked impatiently, "…It would be a lot easier…"_

 _Sam was getting tired of the demon's commentary, especially when he had to focus on driving. It was unnatural for him, and his limited experience with human vehicles didn't help. He personally would've liked to live through the night, and the constant annoyance wasn't doing him any favors._

 _"We already discussed this, Cipher. Though the twins gave you physicality, the binds placed on you contain you to your inferior form. Killing them now would only keep you in this state permanently. We need an incentive. That's where the girl comes in. With her, the boy will be forced to release you to your full potential…" Sam replied evenly._

 _Will grimaced, "Oh… I am going to enjoy taking the bitch. Once I'm free, I think I'll kill her slowly, torment him. The twin will be more difficult, but I'll find a way. I'm going to make them suffer for everything they've done to me…_

 _Sam smiled to himself. "Oh, trust me Will. Everything is going to turn out great. Everyone gets exactly what they deserve"._

 _Will looked up at him, and through Dipper's eyes he cast a look upon Sam he hadn't seen in him before. Hope. "Sam… I do trust you. I believe in you… believe in US. We are going to do incredible things, right by each other's sides. Thank you… for everything"._

 _Will looked off into the fleeting overgrowth, just in time to miss the sullen expression on Sam's face._

 _"…Don't mention it."_

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

As darkness descended upon the forest, Sam couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of dread. _Come on Sam, you can do this… you have to do this. You've come too far for anything else._

From the shadows of the trees, he watched as the two sat down on a moss covered log, laughing and enjoying each other's company. The way Will could pull off being Reverse Dipper while still in Dipper's body was unsettling to say the least.

 _There's no way out now…_

Sam closed his eyes tightly and gritted his teeth. Quickly, he headed to a part of the forest out of the view of Will or Reverse Pacifica. He sighed heavily, choking up slightly on the exhale. His hands quivering, he reached into the deep pockets of his jacket. The feel of the items in his grasp sent chills down his spine, and when he opened his eyes, there they were. In his right hand, Gideon's amulet sparkled in the twilight. In his left, the most important item to ever exist in this current dimension…

 _I'm sorry everyone._

 _I'm so sorry…_

 _…But it's too late for me._

He watched as the moonlight reflected off the glass vial, the thick red blood locked inside. If he didn't have the weight of a thousand worlds on his mind at the moment, he may have thought it, in a sense, looked beautiful. However, that beauty was to be short lived.

Breathing hard, Samson focused on what little strength he had left. His eyes began to softly glow a faint white, and he carefully pressed one finger against his palm. The touch immediately brought out a burning pain, and Sam winced slightly as he forced his eyes to glow brighter. Moving his finger across his hand, to his pain and twisted delight, a stream of red blood flowed.

As his eyes returned to normal, Sam went to work. He quickly spread the blood along his hands, a fine coat on his palms. Taking a deep breath, he opened the vial carefully, and proceeded to do the same to Pacifica's blood. He lay on his knees, exhausted and pained, but he just laughed. A cold, dark laugh not meant for any mortal…

Looking down, he picked up the amulet glowing faintly in his hands. Cradling it in his palms, Sam began to speak.

"Gore, et humiliabit calumniatorem…"

As Sam spoke, the amulet seemed to glow with power. Everything was working exactly as planned…

"…Una anima, attritus est , et cruentatus…"

Suddenly, the amulet began to shake violently. Sam watched with a dark smile on his face as the amulet began to turn crimson in his hands.

"…potestatem."

In an instant the amulet burst into searing flames, only to be quelled moments later. Staring down at the trinket in his palm, Sam could feel the power of the ancients pulsating within him. His eyes flashed for only a second, but not blue nor white, this time blood red.

Slowly, he headed back to the clearing, each step feeling as though it resonated with the entire planet. He looked out from the tree line, as the two continued their loving, compassionate conversation. Suddenly, Pacifica's face looked a lot more serious.

"Dipper… I… I love you. So much. You've always been there when I needed you, you always know what I've needed to hear. I can't imagine my life without you. I trust you more than I've ever trusted anyone else in my entire life. So please, let me do this…"

'Dipper' looked at her with passionate empathy. "I love you too, more than I've ever loved anyone. You know what Shooti- …Pacifica… let's do this…" He said behind a devious smile. Pacifica was nearly in tears. "You don't know how happy you just made me…" She said lovingly. In a single, swift motion, Pacifica firmly planted her lips on Dipper's body as she held on his hand tightly.

As they broke off, Dipper's eyes were closed. He sat there in silence, but a wide, satanic grin formed on his face. "Oh, my dear Shooting Star…" he said in a sinful purr, "…the feeling is mutual". As the words escaped his lips, Dipper's eyes shot open, revealing a flaming blue fire in each. Pacifica screamed, but as she tried to pull away, Will held her steadfast. "THANKS FOR THE RIDE, SHOOTING STAR! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Will's distorted voice laughed in demonic horror. As Will yanked back Dipper's hand, Pacifica's screaming stopped abruptly. Her eyes rolled back in her head, as did his host body's.

After a mere moment, and a blinding flash of light, Dipper's soulless corpse fell to the ground. Pacifica's body stood motionless, until she took a deep breath, and her eyes came back into focus. Shining, blue eyes…

Pacifica looked down at the body in front of her longingly… a slight chuckle coming from deep within her. Will flexed her hands, illuminating unto him the reality of his actions. "S... Sam… SAM!" He called out, "SAM, IT WORKED! WE DID IT! WE-" Will cheered, until his voice was suddenly cut off. "….wh-wha-" he stammered, slowly turning her head in horror.

"…Heh… hehehe…" Will turned in shock, looking back. Standing there, slowly, painfully hobbling towards him, was Sam. Will was about to explode in rage, before he looked into Sam's eyes. His flaming, blood red eyes. His snickers became chuckles, then cackles, evolving into a sea of purely satanic laughter. Will didn't know if there was a word in any language to describe how terrified he was, but at the moment, he didn't care.

Even if he wasn't petrified with fear, it wouldn't have mattered. His limbs were tightly bound to the ground with magical chain constructs. With a snap of Sam's fingers, the chains burned at his arms and legs, Will screaming out in pain.

Sam snapped his fingers once again, and Will fell to the floor in exhaustion. "Sam… why… WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? WE HAD A DEAL!" Gritting her teeth, Will collected all the magical energy he had left, and extended out his hands. Blue fire briefly erupted from his fingertips; however just as quickly they sputtered out.

The look of terror returning to his face, any breath left in him was sucked out as he felt Sam tightly grab hold of his neck. Desperately snapping her fingers, Will's fear quickly became immeasurable. "Wh-WHY ISNT THIS WORKING!?" He screamed.

Sam simply laughed darkly, his signature smirk forming on his devilish face. "The deal… is **off** …". He lifted up his free hand, and all at once Will could see the crimson amulet held in his blood stained palm. Sam chuckled, "…Blood of a mortal. Your mortal..."

Will struggled in Sam's grasp, barely managing to cough out the words, "HOW DID YO-" he managed before Sam choked him even tighter.

"…A little tactful negotiations."

As Sam strengthened his grasp on Pacifica's throat, he held the amulet directly above her forehead. Although Will was incapable of talking, his eyes spoke volumes. The confusion, the broken trust, the begging for mercy…

Sam could only utter one word. "…Debitum…"

Suddenly, brilliant crystal colored stands of pure energy erupted out of Pacifica, only matched by the volume of her screaming. Sam's smile widened as the primordial power flowed into him; he could feel each cell in his being becoming supercharged.

In an instant, he could sense the metamorphosis commencing. He could feel the thousands of scars covering his back becoming white hot, as if they were themselves were miniature suns. It was easily the most painful experience either of the two entities had ever experienced. His jacket turned to ashes, leaving his upper torso exposed.

Despite the pain he was experiencing, Sam forced himself to open his eyes. Looking back at him was the face of a teenaged girl, contorted and in pain. Behind that face was his best friend, his expression begging the question "…why…?"

As the forest echoed and the lightshow of spiritual energy shone around them, Sam looked into her eyes. He could see the fear… the pain… the broken heart. And he could see a single tear, streaming down her cheek.

Above the noise of the events surrounding them, Sam's voice was clear as a bell.

"I'm sorry…"

…

…

 *** K***

And suddenly the flowing of power came to a halt. Sam was a being of pure energy; if anyone had been around to witness him, his radiance would have rendered them blind. He looked one last time at the small child in his hand, and saw her nose began to drip a crimson red liquid. Refusing to look any longer, he laid her lifeless corpse beside Dipper's. Sam turned away, and after a moment of reconciliation, touched eternity.

And thus the energy took form. Kneeling before the face of creation was Samael, reborn. Warily, he stood, and took his first steps. This was not the Sam of the last years, but Samael, the Archangel of Death, no longer a mortal. Looking over his shoulder, Sam could clearly tell his scars had healed, for there was no longer empty space behind him. Flowing in the forest breeze were a regal, majestic pair of raven black wings. _His_ wings.

He could feel the infinite power coursing within him. He looked down at his hand, the pulsing amulet humming softly in his palm. Without a second thought, Sam crushed it into dust. Standing solemnly in the clearing, it wasn't long before Sam heard a high pitched blare and could see a soft glow streaming behind him.

"…Finally…"

As Sam turned, he could see a vibrant radiant vortex had appeared behind him. The energy resonating from within was unmistakable.

 _Home…_

Suddenly, a flash of blinding light enveloped the forest, however Sam stood his ground. He knew what was about to happen. He'd been planning it for thousands of years…

As the light faded, all that Sam could make out were three figures hidden under white hooded robes, while one wore a golden olive wreathe circlet like a crown. All four were clad in shining golden armor, and each was armed with a weapon that resonated with holy power. Samael recognized them immediately… the angelic royal guard.

Not a moment later, the guardsman adorning the headdress stepped forward. His voice boomed through the trees, threatening Sam's very soul. "SAMAEL! YOU STAND ACCUSED! COME WITH US NOW, OR YOU WILL FACE THE WRATH OF HEAVEN!"

Sam looked forward at the threatening soldiers before him. They were of the elite. Heaven's finest, bravest, and most powerful.

He nearly started laughing. But instead, Sam wore his signature smirk, and advanced towards the four warriors.

He cleared his throat ever briefly, and spoke in a cool, commanding tone. "…Raguel… esteemed Archangel of Justice. I haven't seen you in a very long time... Not since you tore my wings from my body, tortured me, and left me for dead…"

Raguel fumed at the assumed accusation. Locking eyes with Sam, Raguel's voice became less deafening, however no less defiant. "…I should have finished the job, but Father was merciful on you".

Sam stopped dead, trapped between laughing his head off or ripping off Raguel's. "…Merciful... You call what he did _merciful_...?" he asked in a disbelieving tone.

Raguel scoffed in annoyance, "You have no idea what he did for you".

Sam laughed briefly, only veiling his increasing rage. "…FOR me? ...He took _everything_ from me".

Raguel slammed his sword on the ground, demanding attention. "You were arrogant. You lost faith. Father meant to teach you the error of your ways…"

Sam closed his eyes, and spoke in a low, threatening tone. "...Are you prepared to die for him brother? Do you really think you can defeat me?"

Raguel lifted his sword effortlessly, and aligned it with Sam's head in a challenge. "Enough games Samael. It's time you paid for your crimes…"

Sam stood there with a wicked grin on his face and a slight chuckle in his voice. "…Oh…"

And in an instant his eyes flashed open, revealing twin blazing infernos of holy white fire.

"...I don't think so."

Raguel's fury was unsurpassed. Taking up a defensive stance before the portal, he directed his soldiers with his free hand, "SEIZE HIM!"

Sam immediately sprang into action. Reaching out his hand, one of the guardsmen suddenly fell to his knees, grasping desperately at his temples. The two remaining guards looked towards their brother in concern, just as his skull violently imploded. All was silent for a moment, as the angel's body began flaking apart in the wind, leaving only his shell of armor behind.

All three remaining guardsmen were taken aback, but upon looking on their foe, the picture of Sam's closed fist aflame became clear. Raguel quickly recovered from the shock, immediately becoming filled with furious vengeance. His rigorous voice snapped the other two out of their apparent trance. "GUARDS! KILL HIM!"

Sam was a whirlwind, dodging and flying through the air as though he were made of it. Despite their best efforts, neither of the guards could possibly lay a hand on him, to the amazement and fury of Raguel.

One of the guards flung themselves at Sam in a desperate attempt to subdue him. As Sam evaded the onslaught of the second guard's swordsmen skills, one quick thrust of his shoulder stunned the brute with the broadside of his wing. Masterfully blocking and deflecting his attacker, Sam backed up ever so slightly until he saw an opportunity. He spun away from a forward stab, causing the guard to firmly plant his sword into his comrade's chest.

As the look of horror and shock expressed itself in the guards, Sam quickly grabbed the sword from the hand of the impaled warrior. In one swift stroke, he swung the blade in full force through the unsuspecting swordsman's throat, his head and body falling to the ground. Their fragile beings then became one with the wind as their brother had, flaking apart in a brilliant post mortem display.

Raguel painfully looked at the empty suits of armor at Sam's feet. Eyes narrowed, Sam grasped ever tighter onto the broadsword's handle. Raguel slowly brought his eyes to meet Sam's, his voice shaken. "...How...Where did you...?" he stammered.

Sam looked at him with malice in his eyes but a sly grin on his face. "You'd be surprised what one can learn in a few hundred thousand years" he smirked. Raguel, fueled with hate, took up the offensive. Steadying the grasp on his sword, Sam merely chuckled in amusement.

"You still follow him, after all he's done. You live a lie Raguel. Can't you see that?"

The rage behind the angel's eyes told everything he already knew. "You… you're going to burn in hell for this… _you murderer_ …" the royal guard seethed in disgust. Sam breathed a disappointed sigh, but kept his resolute composure.

"…So be it."

Raguel rushed forward with blinding speed, only to be parried effortlessly by Sam. The smirk on Sam's face widened, and so the battle began. The two clashed for what seemed like eternity, despite it only being a few minutes. Both experts in their field; neither could seem to land a killing blow.

After unyielding combat, Raguel became more desperate. His swings became more uncoordinated, his tactics predictable. Unaware, Raguel was caught off guard when Sam suddenly dropped his sword. As Raguel went in for a killing blow, Sam abruptly dodged the blade, and caught the inertia of Raguel's attack.

Powered by his newfound strength, Sam grabbed hold of the Archangel's forearm, and threw Raguel's unsuspecting form clear through the nearest tree. Sam grinned slyly, and grabbing his fallen sword, extended his wings.

The air around them shook as Sam hit mach 1, flying through the air faster than the speed of sound, hurtling himself into Raguel's recovering body. Even with their powers, they could still feel pain, still become beaten and bloodied. As the angel of justice cried out in agony, Sam grabbed him by the throat, and slammed Raguel into the rocks by the edge of the clearing. Sam poised for a killing strike, holding his angelic blade against his adversary's neck, until he saw a stream of glowing tears running down his damaged face. Raguel choked on the blood forming in his mouth, dripping it down his chin. "Samael… I'm begging you… mercy…"

Sam halted for only a moment. His eyes narrowed in pure hatred, his voice turning dark and malevolent. " _Mercy_ …? The _weak_ don't deserve mercy. Someone who doesn't give their all hasn't earned the right to just _give up_. Not until you're spent, not until you've done everything in your absolute power to stop me. Not until every last drop of endurance has been drained out of your very _soul_. Not until you fall at my feet in despair, until you try everything you possibly can to survive, only to ultimately **_lose_**. Only then will I spare you. Until then…" Sam said, pushing the blade harder against his neck,

"…I will destroy you."

Raguel looked at him through watery eyes, his voice pleading. "You were an archangel Samael! How could you succumb to this madness?" Raguel choked out, nearly crying.

Sam breathed hard, trying not to decapitate him in that instant. "…I tried to protect the person I cared about. I tried to save her! I tried to save us all! Isn't that what we stood for!?"

Raguel looked up at Sam with weary eyes. "…It's forbidden for us to love each other over our Father. You knew that. Your carelessness… and misplaced trust… led to an **abomination** causing the deaths of thousands!

Sam's hands were quivering in rage. "That _abomination_ was your brother too... And it's you who's misplaced their trust. You... You judge me for killing innocents? ...He… he killed her. Right in front of us. And you did _nothing_."

Raguel spat blood onto the ground, locking eyes with Sam. "You are as ignorant… as you are arrogant." he breathed sporadically. Sam thrusted his weight forward, the edge of the blade drawing a line of blood.

"You stand… for a _monster_... " Sam seethed in rage, "...and now you're going to die for him."

Sam locked eyes with the dying angel as he drew back his blade. "…Goodbye, Raguel" he breathed as he brought the sword across his neck.

 **"SAMMY!"**

...

All time seemed to stop as every fiber in Sam's being froze. Raguel struggled to escape the blade serrated into his neck, but at the moment Sam's arm was solid as a rock, along with much of the rest of him. His breathing cut short, eyes shot open. Slowly, Sam's head shakily turned behind him, his features locked in terror and disbelief.

Looking back, he saw five pairs of eyes, all looking back at him. Among them were different faces, different feelings. Shock, surprise, betrayal, curiosity…

…heartbreak.

Sam's words were caught in his throat, but managed to choke them out. "…M…Mabel…?" he stammered, "what… what are you **doing** here?" he asked, almost begging for an answer. No one could find the nerve to speak, however Pacifica's eyes went wide.

"Uh… Mabel…" she said, tapping on her shoulder and pointing at Sam. Or, rather, his resplendent jet black wings. Mabel didn't even register her comment. Not when she saw something familiar in the distance.

Time seemed irrelevant as the five rushed to the overgrown log, upon which they just wanted time to end. Mabel could barely comprehend the wailing tears being cried around her, not while she looked down at Dipper's broken body. It was as if she was deaf to the agony around her. Grunkle Stan knelt silently beside the lifeless corpse, emptily cradling him in his arms, while Pacifica and Reverse Stan couldn't bring themselves to watch.

Reverse Dipper stood beside him, desperately grasping onto Reverse Pacifica's hand, her nose bleeding and her neck lying at an unnatural angle. His tears gushed down his face ran like a rainstorm, soaking the cloths they wore. His watery eyes looking for an answer, any answer, all he could do was beg. "Pacifica... Paz... Wake up... wake up! Please… wake up… wake up! Wake up..."

And nearly all at once, all eyes turned on Samael, who was now far more terrified of the mortals before him than the trained warrior he'd fought prior. Mabel looked at him with disbelief, unable to have words escape from her mouth. "I… I'm sorry…" he stammered, "Everyone, please, I promise-"

 **"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?"** Reverse Dipper cried out. In a massive display of blue light, a beam of pure energy struck down from the clouds, forming a blazing pillar of fire striking Reverse Dipper. His eyes exploded in furious power, his body lifting into the air. The boy became an Archon of pure hate and grief, lightning and fire crashing down upon him.

 **"SAMAEL!"** he screamed, forcing all of his potency into one, relentless beam. Sam barely had time to look up before his entire being was enveloped in raw power, causing both the Archangels to cry out in agony. As the dust cleared, Raguel lay unconscious besides the rocks, Sam gasping for breath beside him. Eyes flaring open, Sam's face became contorted in anger. Reaching out his hand, Reverse Dipper was forcefully ripped from his power, his throat suddenly being held squarely in Sam's grasp.

Rev Dipper's body spasmed as his eyes went wide in shock. The crowd gasped, Mabel's hands shooting to her mouth, Reverse Stanley begging for his nephew's life. Sam didn't care. He just squeezed harder…

"Let him go! Please! Sammy, please!" Mabel pleaded. Sam glanced at her, haltering only for a moment. A second later Sam sensed movement behind him. Looking back, he saw Raguel leaning amongst the rock wall, steadying himself.

Despite the situation he happened to be in, Raguel suddenly brought about a snide chuckle. "You truly couldn't care less about the humans, could you Samael? How could you, after slaughtering them by the thousands... You are the Archangel of death, after all..." he smiled to himself. Sam looked out at the crowd, eyeing him with shocked confusion. "S…Sammy… wh…what did he just say…?"

Sam looked back at Raguel in contempt, "That… wasn't my fault. I wasn't the one who pulled the trigger on those people…"

Raguel almost laughed, his face filled with jeer, "…but you were still the _gun_."

Sam breathed hard, his muscled tensed with stress and anger. "...Shut up."

Suddenly Mabel forewent her overall shock now replaced with pained betrayal. "Sammy, why are you doing this!? This isn't who you are!"

 _How could she know that?_ "Shut. Up."

Mabel would not give up so easily. "I trusted you! I believed in you! Please, don't do this!"

"Shut up!" Sam yelled loudly.

"Sammy-"

"I SAID SHUT UP HANNAH!"

...

…

...

"...what?"

Raguel went awestruck. "You... You can't be serious..."

Sam couldn't breathe, his vision going slightly out of focus. _What… Did I just say…_

In an instant, Sam dropped the child, gasping for breath. He lay there coughing for a few moments, only to fall into a pained sleep. Sam fell to his knees, unable to comprehend what he's just done…

Suddenly a twinkle caught his eye, and Sam turned to see Raguel lunging at him with shining sword in hand. Sam almost didn't try to fight it, he just sat there…

As a streak of bright blue flashed through the air. Not a moment later, Raguel was frozen in place. Only when he fell to the ground and began fragmenting into the breeze did Sam realize what had happened. An angelic dagger was pierced into his forehead, a blade of one of the fallen soldiers. But where…

Sam's gaze traced the magical trail back to the armor of the fallen soldier of who the blade belonged… along with the being who stood beside it, their amulet glowing softly. Reverse Mabel…

The crowd went silent, either too shocked or too afraid to say anything. Reverse Mabel strode through, stopping once when she reached her body double, only to throw her arms around the girl. Confusion was just one thing on a very long list of emotions Mabel was feeling right now, but somehow forgot about them when she felt her counterpart crying over her shoulder.

"M-Mabel… it's me… it's Dipper…" Dipper's voice stammered. After only a moment of silence, the Pines and Pacifica burst into gracious tears, rushing over to hug the small child. Only Reverse Stan remained standing there.

"Uh… Hey, Dipper… I'm… glad you aren't dead but… wh-"

"I'm still in here Stan…" Reverse Mabel's voice said, "…but our brother needed a vessel to find you all…" She said, looking over at Mabel knowingly. She stared at her for a long time, almost breaking down into tears, before Dipper took over once more. "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO MY BODY!?"

Without warning, Dipper's soul jumped out of Reverse Mabel's body, causing her to feel extremely lightheaded. Nearly falling over, Mabel grabbed hold to support her, noticing then that her nose bega to bleed. Suddenly her eyes glowed softly, Dipper's voice returning. "Something's wrong, I can't get back in my body…"

"That's because you died…"

All eyes turned on the winged creature kneeling before them. "A soul cannot enter a body too damaged to sustain life. Will transferred himself into this word's Pacifica… and the transfer burst your heart. Then… once Will had possession of Pacifica…

…I was able to kill him… by breaking her neck…"

Everyone was silent for a long while, before Sam solemnly looked over at the pair of corpses. Suddenly, his eyes began to burn white. Without a word, he walked over to the two bodies lying by the log. Holding out his hands, he placed one palm on each of their foreheads.

"What do you think you're doing!?"Stan yelled, ready to gut Sam at a moment's notice.

"He can't hurt them any more than he has already…" Pacifica reasoned, however unconvincingly.

"Are you kidding me!? He's too dangerous to be trusted!" Reverse Stan shouted at the girl.

Mabel only looked at him with dejected eyes, "Sammy-"

Suddenly a crack of lightning struck down, coursing through Sam and into the two children. A surge of power radiated through them, and after a moment, everyone could see clear as day…

…they were breathing…

Dipper could barely formulate words, but jumped once more out of Reverse Mabel's body and into his own. Eyes blinking open, Dipper looked up to see Sam smiling down at him, his face still slightly smoking, until he fell over in exhaustion. Everyone stared at the boy in utter shock as he stood to face them. Dipper looked down however, at the young girl who still hadn't awakened.

"What… just happened…?"

Sam breathed hard, "Hey… being the lord of death… has its perks…" he coughed out. "Her soul is likely still confused… but don't worry. She's alive… and she'll be back in her body soon enough…" he said, looking over at the sleeping form of Reverse Dipper, "…You're welcome lover boy…"

No one said anything for a very long time. Not until Dipper spoke up. "Sam, …why? Everything… all of this… you've been planning it all from the start. The cloak you gave me, the deals with Pacifica, with Bud, how long have you been planning all this?"

Sam looked up wearily, "…How did you know about those?"

Dipper looked stone-faced, "When I was asleep, I saw… things… people… you. I need to know Sam, WHY did you do all of this…?"

Sam sighed in defeat. This was the end of the road. He breathed deeply, and spoke softly. "…Where to begin…

…I used to be an Archangel of the high heavens. I… well I suppose you could say I… fell in love… with another of my kind. And because of that, because I tried to _protect_ her, I made a deal… with Bill Cipher. My best friend…"

The faces of the crowd tensed at the name, but Mabel became curious. "Sammy… the angel… that you fell in love with… what was her name?"

Sam looked at her, a small smile forming on his face, "…Her name was Hannah…"

Everyone's gaze shifted on Mabel, who in turn ran up and hugged Sam with every ounce of strength left in her. Sam knelt there with surprise and confusion on his face, but was soon replaced with a warm smile, and hugged her back.

"Wh… what happened next?" Pacifica asked nervously. Sam laughed slightly, but soon his expression changed darkly.

"Cipher betrayed me…

…He went to seek out Hannah. He deliberately gave himself away, and we were discovered. We were beaten… tortured… but that was nothing to me. My father knew that Hannah was the reason of my defection.

…So he killed her…"

Sam's eyes narrowed as the haunting memories came flooding back. "They dragged me out of the room as she lay in a pool of her own blood. She never even saw it coming…

They stripped me of my wings, made me mortal… banished me to Earth. Ever since then, I've been planning my return… to avenge what was taken from me…" he trailed off. Suddenly something clicked, and Sam looked over at Dipper.

"Why did you save me?"

Dipper looked surprised to say the least, "What do you mean?"

Sam looked at him skeptically, "I left with a demon in control of your body. I nearly destroyed the person you were when I handed you that cloak. You could have let Raguel kill me. Why did you save me…?"

Eyes turned on Reverse Mabel, who looked into Sam's eyes with compassion. "Because your journey isn't over Sam. I don't know where it ends, but it isn't over. I know what you've done. I've seen visions of it. The bloodshed. The horrors. The haunting regrets. And the road to redemption…"

Sam didn't know what to say. Only the warm smile from the girl standing before him said everything he needed to hear. "Sammy… I don't know what you are, or where you came from… but I don't care. You're an amazing guy with a lot of regrets. You want to know what that makes you?

…Human."

Sam choked up. He was honestly rendered speechless. "Sammy, I know what wanting revenge is like. I know how hard it can be to have a failed relationship…"

Sam almost laughed at what anyone else would have called naivety. But it was just so characteristically Mabel. It was just so…

…so human.

"But… but you don't need to let these things control your entire life. You don't need to spend eternity chasing ghosts… when you have all of us…"

The Pines all looked at Sam in a way that was universally understood. That despite what he'd done, what he'd said… to them he was like family…

Sam didn't know what to say. For the last multiple millennia all he'd ever thought of was revenge. He never even considered anything else… or even what would happen once he had it. Maybe… Just maybe…

 _…Maybe the humans were right…_

Sam stood up, and looked over his shoulder. Glowing in midair was the vortex Raguel had entered from. On the other side… Sam could feel light. Warmth. The resounding holy energy that was home to him. However, he spent a second… just one second… to look back.

And in that second Sam knew that everything he had once fought for was right in front of him.

Looking back at the glowing portal before him, Sam's fingers wove through the air, reforming and reshaping the portal until it reopened to a dark and dusty basement. The Pines' basement. Gravity Falls…

Sam looked back over his shoulder, a warm smile on his face. He looked down at his hand and snapped his fingers, his signature jacket reforming around him, however now with two slit holes in the back. Walking over to Raguel's armor shell, he knelt down beside his fallen brother. He took a moment, and bowed his head in deep respect, before retrieving the angel's sword as his own.

He took a deep breath, and turned to face the Pines, staring back at him.

"Time to go home…"

The Pines family looked back at their counterparts, fairing them goodbyes. The Mabel's whispered to each other for a few minutes, laughing to themselves ever so often, before Mabel returned to Sam's side. Before they crossed through the portal, however, Stanley looked back. "Hey, Stano! You need to find some way into the basement of the Mystery Shack here! It's the only way to save Stanford! Promise me you'll find him!"

Reverse Stanley smiled back, "I promise, I am getting to that basement even if I have to kill Bud Gleeful to get there!"

Sam seemed to oddly tense up at that statememt, however he was silent as the grave as the four passed through the portal, saying their final goodbyes.

As the Pines family traversed through the vortex, the scenery around them changed instantly. The forest was gone, replaced with the darkness of the Pines' basement. Sam found himself still struggling to stand, as though every step seemed to weigh down on him. Suddenly he felt pressure on his left hand, and looked down to see Mabel smiling up at him. He couldn't help but smile back, despite everything.

But just as suddenly, the Pines stopped in their tracks. There in the center of the room stood Ford, his eyes closed, his body unmoving. Stanley couldn't be happier, "Hey Poindexter! We did I-"

"…Get away from him…"

Silent confusion washed over the crowd, each eyeing one another with skepticism. "…Sixer, are you alri-"

"I SAID GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Ford yelled as he thrust out his arms, the Pines family forced through the air against the back wall. Only then did Ford open his eyes. His yellow, slit eyes…

With a snap of his fingers, Sam became held to the ground with burning blue chains. Hearing his screams of agony brought Stanley back to reality, his expression murderous. "GET OUT OF MY BROTHER YOU ONE EYED DEMON!"

Ford was silent for a moment, however he started chuckling. Then snickering. Soon it became a torrent of laughter, and his voice soon took on that all too familiar distortion.

"Oh, but Stanley… I'm not the one in control here..."

Sam's eyes suddenly began to burn white, along with the chains that trapped him. Snapping off, the chains surrounded him, and with flowing movement of his hands the burning chains shot back at Ford.

"Sam, wait! DON'T HURT HIM!"

Sam's eyes narrowed, his teeth barred and a guttural growl escaped his lips. In an instant Sam extended his ethereal winds, and in one fluid motion he grabbed Ford, hurtling both through the rock and roof of the mystery shack.

Ford seemed to barely register the pain. "YOU LEAVE MY FAMILY ALONE!" he yelled, his hands enveloping in blue flame. Reaching out, Ford grabbed the sides of Sam's head, causing him to cry out in torturous pain. Letting go, Ford went into free fall, hitting the ground hard.

Sam looked down in horror, swiftly flying towards Ford's body as to check for life signs. Without warning, as Sam came closer, Fords flaming hand shot out and grabbed Sam's neck. Struggling to breathe, Sam could see Ford cough slightly and turn his head to face him. " _You can't kill me that easily…_ "

Sam looked into his bright yellow eyes. The eyes of the one who'd betrayed him so long ago. Slowly, he reached into his pocket, taking out the one thing he'd grabbed on his way through the floors of the Mystery Shack. A small, glistening snow globe…

Which Sam thoroughly crushed in an instant.

Ford's expression changed drastically, laughter screaming through the entire town. A beam of energy shot into the sky, a prism of an interdimentional rift ripping itself into existence. Suddenly the yellow of his eyes disappeared, his body falling over unconscious.

 **"** Hahaha **, Hahahahaha, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"** The air shook with the sound of Bill's laughter. A single slit eye appeared in the rift, fire and lightning exploding out of it. And there he stood. Staring down at Sam, towering over them, was Bill Cipher. The true Bill Cipher. He was flawless, beautiful, his golden hair and three piece suit mascaraing the beacon of death he had become.

Bill floated down to the ground slowly, getting used to the feel of his new body. He took a deep breath, his smile ever present on his face. "…Oh…Thank you Sam…

…You just made this **SO** much easier…"

The two stared into each other, their hands igniting with their respective colors. Dashing towards each other at mach speed, the fight began. Both entities became unrelenting forces of nature, neither coming away unscathed. Amidst the intense combat, Sam could see into the demon… his best friend.

The one who'd broken everything he once held close…

Upon analyzing the ferocity of Sam's attacks, Bill's expression suddenly turned very serious. "Don't you _dare_ blame me for all this, Sam. I did what I had to…"

Sam's eyes flared, "So did I…"

Sam's relentless barrage of attacks was only paralleled by the speed of which Bill could avoid them. But Sam was far from giving up. He'd been training over millennia for this moment.

 **"We were brothers Cipher. Even after... this! I trusted you, and you betrayed me!"**

Bill scoffed at his words, the infuriated hurt apparent in his expression, **"I only wanted to see her! You two… You were the only glimmers of light left in my world! But she couldn't see that Sam! She betrayed US!"**

 **"LIAR!"**

Sam redoubled his rounds, each attack becoming more wild and uncalculated than the last. The only thought in his head was to break Cipher, piece by piece…

 **"I wasn't the one that gave up on us! She couldn't see past the demon and the traitor! I was your best friend Sam!"**

 **"YOU WERE A MONSTER!"**

 **"I DIDN'T KNOW!"** , Cipher breathed hard, **"I NEVER THOUGHT SHE WOULD TURN US IN! I ONLY WANTED TO SAY GOODBYE! I… I never…**

 **…I never meant for any of this to happen Sam!**

 **…I** …I didn't…I…

…I'm sor-"

What happened next could only be described as world ending. Or possibly a new beginning. A blinding flash of light enveloped the town, sealing the rift above. Sam and Bill halted their motion, for what happened next turned both their worlds upside down.

As the light died, another vortex had opened before them, however this one being much more powerful than the last. And from it, stood a single being. Her armor shone like the light of creation, her striking blonde hair flowing in the wind. She held a exquisite rapier in one hand, glowing with holy power. As she advanced towards the two, Sam fell to his knees, only able to choke out one word.

"…H…Hannah…?"

The woman looked down at him, as he was nearly on the verge of tears. Suddenly, without warning, the rapier thrust forward, right at Sam's head…

Only to be knocked away. As Sam regained his sense of mind, he looked up, only to see Bill Cipher blocking the attack…

…with Raguel's sword…

Bill looked into the eyes of the angel, "…Heya princess… did'ja miss me?" he asked, forcing the rapier aside. Hannah looked at the two in contempt. "…Heathen-"

She barely had time to think as Sam nearly tackled her in a tear filled hug. "Wh- why- how… I- I'm so… Hannah…" he cried disregarding everything that had just happened. Further, he disregarded when Hannah's dagger touched his back, only to be torn from her grasp by Bill's power.

Bill barred his teeth, and grabbed Sam by the collar of his jacket, ripping him off of the girl. "You really are an idiot, aren't you?" he asked, looking down upon the half broken Archangel, "…things have changed…"

Hannah scoffed, "That's where you're wrong Bill. Nothing's changed. You both broke your deal. Now that there's nothing binding you, you're both going to be executed for high treason…"

Bill laughed maniacly, "Oh, good luck with that princess…" he said, his eye flaring blue. Sam could only stare at her on shock. "H…How…"

Hannah rolled her eyes, "It was an illusion, you senseless wretch. You know, a trick? Father would never kill me, I'm not the one who stabbed us all in the back."

Sam looked up at her pitifully, his head spinning.

 _That's… that's impossible…_

 _You died…_

 _Cipher… betrayed…_

 _You…_

 _…_

 _…_

 _…You…_

Sam shakily rose to his feet, his eyes never breaking Hannah's gaze. "…You… betrayed _us_ …" he said, realization dawning on him. Cipher looked over, his smug grin spread across his face. "Told ya' so" He smiled, then turning darkly serious. Bill held Hannah's dagger out towards Sam, "I have a feeling you're gonna need this…"

Sam looked up at the Demon ludicrously, but the look in Cipher's eye was clear. Despite this… despite everything…

…He was still Sam's best friend…

Sam carefully took the dagger, holding it squarely in his hand. The three stood each other's ground, no one truly willing to make the first move. Sam couldn't help but try to understand.

"Hannah… why? Why would he want to make us think you were dead…?"

Hannah nearly laughed. "Isn't it obvious? Without me… you'd have nothing left to live for".

Bill glared at her, his rage building. "You meant _everything_ to us! We grew up together! How could you just abandon us like that!?"

Hannah raised her rapier in opposition. "Because, you _abomination_ , the kids I grew up with and loved as brothers… they died a long time ago. You both are monsters… to be exterminated. But before I kill you, I am going to finish what Father started. I'm going to destroy everything you love. Starting with _them_."

Both men looked confused for a moment, then turned back to see the Pines family standing there, watching silently. "Wait, what did she just say?" Dipper asked worriedly.

Sam immediately forgot about everything that had just transpired, his eyes bursting into flame. **"YOU WILL NOT TOUCH THEM!"** he shouted at Hannah, almost to her amusement. Sam and Bill took up an offensive position, ready to intercept her.

"Oh, so the murderer grew a conscience?" she laughed, "You're actually trying to _defend_ them now? That's funny. And here I thought you two couldn't get any _lower_."

Hannah stood there, suddenly a regretful look on her face.

"I'm sorry Sammy…"

What then ensued could only be described as the paramount showdown in the history of the world. Sam and Cipher acted as one entity, their teamwork flawless. Swords flew, metal clashed, and each warrior was brought to their peak. Sam and Bill blazed in demonic flames, while the intensity of Hannah's holy aura was blinding.

Hannah grabbed Cipher by the neck, and threw him to the ground like a flaming blue comet striking the Earth. As he lay there wearily, she bolted towards him, the point of her sword aimed straight towards his heart. But she didn't expect Sam to get there first, parrying the attack with just a few feet to spare.

Hannah glanced at his newly formed wings, "You've gotten faster…"

Sam narrowed his eyes, "Fast enough to beat you."

Smirking deviously in response, Hannah reveled at the challenge, "We'll see about that."

The two fought one on one for what seemed like an eternity. Sam may have been faster… but Hannah's rapier far outclassed his mere dagger. Bill slowly regained his strength; just soon enough to see the predicament Sam was in. Groaning, he painfully brought himself to his feet.

But things were not at clear as they once seemed. For once Hannah had cut Sam off, both immediately realized what she had done. Smiling, she dashed in the other direction...

…the piercing tip of her sword going directly at Mabel.

Suddenly, silence befell the forest. Someone screamed, though no one was focused enough to care who it was. Mabel simply looked forward emptily…

At Sam.

And the blood stained blade, penetrating straight through his chest.

Sam stood there, his breathing becoming shorter. "I… t-told you I was fast…" he coughed, somewhat laughing to himself. He sank to his knees, Hannah releasing her grip on the blade in half shock. Sam's eyes were filled with tears as he looked over at his brother staring back at him, his body unmoving.

"...I'm sorry..." Sam cried softly, as he fell to the ground.

There were no words. Not until the intensity of Cipher's fire scored the land he stood upon.

 **"NOOOO!"**

Bill shrieked, and rushed towards Hannah. As she looked back, their eyes met, only for a moment, before Cipher brought Raguel's broadsword clean through her neck. The Pines watched in stunned silence as Hannah burst into glowing fragments, Cipher breathing heavily before them.

Dropping the sword with a clang, Bill rushed to Sam's side. Sam looked at nothing in particular, his voice becoming increasingly sporadic.

"I'm so sorry…"

Bill held his hand tight. "Sam! Buddy, you're gonna make it. I swear to you you're gonna make it. Sam? Sam! STAY WITH ME YOU SON OF BITCH! YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DIE ON ME NOW, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME!?" the demon yelled, his voice becoming choked up.

Mabel knelt down to Sam crying hysterically, desperately trying to keep Sam from falling asleep. Bill ignited his hand and brutally pressed it against Sam's chest, his eyes suddenly shooting open. Gasping for breath, Sam brought himself to his knees, only to cough up blood, his wound bleeding heavier by the second. Bill and Mabel scrambled to support him, both acting desperately to stop the bleeding.

"Can't you do anything to save him!?" Mabel cried. Bill cursed under his breath, "He was stabbed by a holy weapon. It's fatal to us, and my powers can't heal him…" he said emptily, "…Sam… stay with me Sam…"

Unexpectedly, the world was filled with blinding light once more. Cipher looked over his shoulder, only to see that the portal Hannah had stepped through was still open. Only now, another being stood before them, a frail, old man adorned in white robes…

When suddenly Bill's entire body lit up in an inferno of fury.

 **"YOU!"**

Cipher's sharp teeth bared, his rage almost exploded out of him. Grabbing Raguel's broadsword, Bill rushed towards the old man, hurtling across the field. The man stood there unmoving, save for a flick of the wrist. All of a sudden a portal opened directly in Ciphers path, leaving him no time to change course. Bill flew straight into the vortex, only for it to close and disappear the moment the demon passed through it.

The man walked slowly towards Sam and Mabel, all eyes focused on him. Sam was seething in rage, and with his best efforts brought himself to his feet, much to Mabel's objection. Picking up the blood stained rapier, Sam hobbled a few steps forward, only to make a half hearted attempt to stab the old man. Upon an effortless evasion, the inertia brought Sam back to his knees, cursing and crying under his breath.

"It has been too long, my son…"

"…Fuck… You… Monster…" Sam fumed in anger.

The man… God… put one hand on Sam's quivering shoulder. Sam looked up at his Father, hate and rage burning inside of him.

"Samael, do you know why? Why I did all of this? Why this happened to you?"

Sam's gaze never faltered, "No. Not at all. And I don't care, either. If I die here, I need you to know that I will NEVER forgive you for what you did to me…"

God looked down at him with patience and understanding, "Samael, you achieved everything I ever dreamed. You learned the lesson I meant to teach you all those years ago…"

Sam nearly spat in his face. "Trust no one. Is that it?"

The old man looked out upon the long past confused Pines family, then back down at his son. "No, Samael.

It was to trust those that love you. Your brother loves you. This human child… she loves you. Hannah lost her love in you when she felt you'd abandoned us. But I knew the truth. Samael, I love you, but my actions ensured you would never trust me again. Instead, your quest for vengeance may have lead you to an understanding. I gave you the chance to learn from humanity. To have a new family…

Samael, you sacrificed yourself to save the life of the human who loves you most.

… and I have never been more proud of you…"

Sam could barely form words, his face covered in tears.

"You-You have a really fucked up form of parenting, you know that?"

The old man smiled somberly, placing his frail arms around the Archangel.

"...I love you... my son…"

Sam could only cry, but sort of laugh at the same time at the irony of it all. He had one chance. He gripped the dagger tightly in his hand…

…only to let it go.

Turning around, the Pines family was looking back at him with empathetic smiles. That was until Sam nearly fell over from his extreme loss of blood. Mabel yelled at him to stay up, and grabbed Sam by the chest to support him.

Sam could barely focus at that point, but to him the world seemed as though only Mabel existed in that moment. He couldn't make out what she was saying, something "hold on" and "you'll be ok". Sam didn't care. Tears flowing from his eyes yet a warm, compassionate smile on his face, Sam threw his arms around the girl. Mabel couldn't stop crying, promising him he was going to be ok, that everything was alright.

Sam could only comfort the child, wrapping his wings around her…

As the two knelt there, Sam's body suddenly began to glow softly, the wound in his chest sparkling. Burying her face deep into the crook of his neck, Mabel's relentless sobbing was all that could be heard, her family locked in shocked silence. Mabel lifted her eyes to meet Sam's, only to see the glistening light reflecting off her tears. Suddenly, a light breeze blew by, her hair waving in the wind. Mabel gasped, as in that moment, flakes of Sam's wings began sparking in the air.

"NO! NO SAMMY PLEASE! PLEASE YOU CAN'T DO THIS, DON'T LEAVE ME!" Mabel begged, "I NEED YOU! PLEASE, NO! SAMMY!" She screamed through tears, only to be met with a patient smile. Sam carefully brought his hand to her cheek, wiping away tears as Mabel begged and cried. Mabel could feel his body breaking, the glittering dust becoming thicker behind him. "Sammy…" Mabel cried, "…please… I'm so sorry… I-I didn't mean to… d-don't leave me… **_please_** "

Sam remained wordless, looking down into Mabel's eyes, his face filled with hope. Smiling, he kissed the top of her forehead, only making the fragile girl cry harder. Then, as if eternity passed in an instant, Mabel felt the warmth of his embrace disappear. Eyes shooting open, all Mabel could see were thousands of shining shards glistening in the wind. She screamed in agony, and as the strength to stand was ripped away from her, she fell upon the only thing left of Sam. His vacant Captain Conspiracy jacket…

As the seconds passed, many began to cry with her, others too shocked to do anything. Pacifica caught a lump in her throat, and turned to face the old man, a look of deep sorrow imbedded in him. Suddenly, Pacifica was fueled with grief and rage. "BRING HIM BACK!" she shouted.

The man looked wearied, but took his gaze upon the small girl, simply stating the words, "I cannot".

Pacifica only became more hostile. "You… YOU'RE GOD, RIGHT?! YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT! S- SO BRING. HIM. BACK!"

The other family members gazed upon the man, awaiting his answer. Sighing deeply, he merely shook his head. "My power over creation is more limited than one would assume. That is why I created the Archangels. They had inherited the powers I had expended to create existence…" he said in saddened breaths. "Samael…was the guardian of life and death. He alone could control its power. But the powers of heaven cannot be used on any angelic form. It is why he couldn't save her then… and why he couldn't save himself now…" he spoke, nearly in tears. "I am so sorry…"

Pacifica didn't know what to think, not with her best friend still weeping in the clearing center. Trying to collect her thoughts, Pacifca could only sputter out words. "Wha- What… What do you mean!? Isn't there **anything** you can do?" she begged, tears starting to stream down her face.

The old man looked down, muttering to himself. After a moment, he cautiously looked up at the crying child, his heart becoming much heavier. He took a step forward, all eyes directed on him. Staring at the glowing shards that had once been his son, his expression filled with thought and wonder. He then held out his palm, letting one of the shards fall in his hand. Suddenly, a grateful, warm smile crossed his face.

The old man looked back at Pacifica, who waited for what he was about to say. Looking down at the light in his hold, God spoke. "He loves you all very dearly. He wishes that you each find happiness in your lives, and that you know he is… finally… at peace…" he coughed out, his smile now more directed at the sky than anyone else.

God closed his eyes only for a moment, for when he reopened them, his pupils began to glow very faintly. "Please… my son…" he breathed, waving his hand through the air, "…give me strength…"

Suddenly, each dazzling jewel in the sky began to fall to earth. All around the bawling child in the clearing, thousands of brilliant specs of light and dust impaled themselves into the soil surrounding her. Moments passed into what seemed like an eternity, but all at once, hundreds of stunning flowers began to grow from the ground. As Mabel lay on the dark jacket sobbing, the flowers encircling her began to bloom into a gorgeous garden, filled of every color imaginable. Pacifica gasped, though at what specifically she still wasn't sure. All she could see was that the old man suddenly began to turn incredibly pale and weak. Hobbling, he paced his way towards Dipper, and knelt down before him.

"Have you come to a decision, my child…?" he rasped. Dipper looked incredibly confused. "Decide? Decide what?" he asked. God looked deeply into the soul of the boy. "When I first spoke with you, I gave you a mission, but I also gave you a choice. I said that my actions caused many to feel I don't deserve mercy. I left the choice of that burden unto you…" he said hopefully.

Dipper's eyes filled with understanding. He could feel the weight of everyone's gaze bearing down on him. He opened his mouth to speak, but upon glancing at his sister's incessant crying in the garden, fell short on words. His eyes then narrowed, and he spoke in a low voice. "…It is my choice then…?" he asked himself aloud. He brought his gaze back up to meet God's. "…Then my choice… is that it should've been you."

The old man's expression turned crestfallen, but he hung his head in understanding. Dipper looked down upon him in anger, however placed a hand on his shoulder. Looking up to face the boy, God didn't know how to feel. Dipper breathed hard, still looking at the wreck his sister had become.

"I need you to make me a promise…" he said, staring into the eyes of God...

"Protect her. Keep her safe. And please… one day…

…Let her find love again"

God stared back at the young boy, only to throw his arms around him, almost on the brink of tears. Everyone stared in silence as he slowly let go. Solemnly, he waved his hand, a portal appearing before him. The warm glow from the other side radiated though, silhouetting the old man. He stood there, only for a moment, before looking back over his shoulder.

"…I…I promise…" he spoke remorsefully, as a flash of golden light filled the trees. When it faded, the man was gone, the forest silent, save for the one lonely girl, crying amongst the flowers.

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 **[…**

 **…**

 **…**

 **…Wow…**

 **…I… I'm done…**

 **I honestly never expected this story to get this far…**

 **…Ehem,**

 **Sorry, got a little sentimental there. You either hate me or love me right now, and for that, I appreciate how much you enjoyed the finale ; )**

 **I want to thank everyone who has helped me along the way, and special thanks to Wolfan Terror, MandoCommander, UNICORNBILLCIPHER, thomasphesant, Topaz88, SessKagShipper2003, ReverseBillDip, Enchalamah, TweenisodeOrange, and Angelina Dark, as well as an INCREDIBLE thanks to LeelaSmall, for all the amazing work she's done for this story and being an awesome friend!**

 **I… sorry, I'm still trying to get over the fact that I** ** _finished_** **this. For those of you wondering, yes, I will do an epilogue. I'll be sure to tie up every loose end, but as far as the storyline goes, it's over. We did it. Thank you to everyone who's supported me over the course over this story. I can't thank you all enough.** _I've posted a poll on my profile as to what you all want me to do next_ **, so** **please** **vote on that.**

 **I'll also begin work on the fanart compilation video. If anyone is interested in submitting, please PM my page. I'm also trying to get the Q &A video working, hopefully will have that fixed and up soon.**

 **And as for the lack of a cipher, well, this was the end. That's just it. It's finished. But don't worry, the epilogue will have one, it just made this chapter have a bit more closure.**

 **Anyways, thank you, everyone. I hope you enjoyed the story of Samson Chains. This is TheTrueAmerican… signing off.]**


	35. ,,,Must Come To An End (Epilogue)

**[Author's Note:**

 **I thank everyone who has supported this story so much, and wanted to get back to you all with this epilogue. Based on the polls, it looks like I'll be starting a Reverse Falls story pretty soon, as well as a possible sequel. I want to let everyone know just how much I appreciate their support, so please comment your thoughts at the end of this segment.**

 **LITTLE WARNING** **There is a short lemony scene here, and however it ends is up to the reader's discretion…**

 **That said, I hope you all enjoy. Any entries into the fanart video are still being accepted, and if you have any ideas for future stories please let me know in the comments. It's been a fun ride. I hope you all enjoy.]**

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 _The portal was finally finished. All that was left was to test the machine. It was going to work. It had to work. He promised me…_

 _…but then…_

 _"WHAAAAAAAAAAAA!"_

 _Ford looked over in shock, just in time to see his assistant Fiddleford's arm tightly strung around the rope attached to the test dummy. He watched paralyzed as Fiddleford screamed, and didn't grab onto the rope until Fidds was already halfway through the portal._

 _"I've gotcha' buddy!" Ford yelled, tightening his grasp. With one final tug Ford brought the shuddering scientist back from the brink, the two of them collapsing upon the metal floor. Ford sat up and began interrogating his partner, disregarding his dilated eyes and short breathing._

 _"What is it? Is it working? What did you see!?"_

 _Fiddleford cringed heavily._

 ** _"votmzrig ivskrx oory!"_**

 _"…Fiddleford?"_

 _"When Gravity Falls and Earth become sky, fear the beast with just one eye!"_

 _"Fiddleford, get a hold of yourself! You're not making any sense-!" Ford stammered. He tried putting a hand on Fidds' shoulder to comfort him, however in an instant Fiddleford jerked around, swatting his hand away._

 _"This machine is dangerous… you'll bring about the end of the world with this! DESTROY IT BEFORE IT DESTROYS US ALL!"_

 _"I can't destroy this, it's my life's work!"_

 _Fiddleford sighed heavily. "…I fear we've unleased a grave danger on the world… one I'd just as soon forget. I quit!"_

 _"FINE! I'll DO IT WITHOUT YOU! I DON'T NEED YOU! I DON'T NEED ANYONE!"_

 _…_

 _…_

 _That was three months ago. Fiddleford had left, build his own house by the lake. Ford continued working on his three journals after dismantling the portal… after Will's deceit and treachery. But all the while Ford kept tabs on his old partner. He feared that he was losing his sanity, he just couldn't tell if it was the portal or losing Fiddleford that was the problem._

 _Fiddleford had spent the last month working tirelessly in his own lab. Or at least what he called his kitchen. From what Ford could understand from his camera drones, Fiddleford was working on some device, one that could potentially erase someone's memories. Ford thought to himself how such a device could benefit the world, saving people of all their haunting experiences. He certainly had plenty of bad memories he'd like to get rid of…_

 _Time went on. He lost track of his old partner. The portal was dormant in the basement, and Ford was starting to relax for once in his life. He looked down at his hands, in them an old photograph of his and McGucket's first day together. Ford sighed, and decided that today was the day. On that day he left the bunker. On that day he drove down the old begotten path to Gravity Fall's lake. On that day he knocked on the lake house door._

 _On that fateful day…_

 _No one answered. Ford knocked again, getting the same result. He looked over and could see Fidds' car parked in his driveway. Slowly, cautiously, he opened the door._

 _"…Fiddleford?"_

 _The house had an incredibly strong stench, as if it hadn't been cleaned in years. Ford looked down in half shock to see the floor covered in empty bottles littering the house. He'd never even seen Fiddleford drink, but from the looks of things it looked as though he'd tried to drink himself half blind. Ford carefuly stepped over bottles and shards of glass._

 _"Fiddleford!" Ford called out again, now becoming increasingly worried._

 _He turned the corner, and looked into the kitchen. Papers were ripped and torn and thrown in every directions, diagrams and disturbing messages written on the walls. Ford started to become panicked, but not before looking down at the table. Upon it was something resembling a brass pistol with a glass barrel. The memory gun…_

 _Beside it was a folded note, with one word written on the cover._

 _STANFORD_

 _With trembling hands, Ford opened the note._

 _(((Stanford,_

 _I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…_

 _I never intended for this to happen. I thought I could finish it in time. I thought…_

 _It doesn't matter now. Nothing matters…_

 _Please. I'm begging you. Finish what I started. Save yourself. Maybe you can do what I never could._

 _I love you like my own brother Stanford._

 _Forever and always._

 _In life…_

 _and…_

 _…_

 _Goodbye Stanford…)))_

 _Ford read and reread the note countless times. It was impossible. There no…_

 _…He couldn't have…_

 _He could feel his pulse skyrocketing. Throwing the note on the table, Ford sprinted through the house._

 _"FIDDLEFORD! FIDDLEFORD WHERE ARE YOU!? FIDDLEFORD I'M SORRY, I SWEAR, PLEASE! FIDDLEFORD WHERE-"_

 _Ford stopped in his tracks, having just opened the bathroom door…_

 _Seeing a long trail of deep red liquid flowing on the ground._

 _Ford held his breath, fighting back tears, looking at the bathroom mirror._

 _He took a step forward, and slowly turned his head around the corner. There was Fiddleford, lying in the bathtub…_

 _Ford fell to his knees, sobbing profusely, begging and screaming…_

 _Weeks went by, Ford losing his grasp on sanity ever further. He abandoned his lab, his life, everything he once held close. He had to finish it. He was determined…_

 _As time went on, Ford's guilt and sorrow grew, and McGucket's wine cellar grew emptier. But one day… finally… he did it. Ford had a note written to himself in case it ever worked. His eyes went back into focus, realizing where he was._

 _Ford looked down at a small note labeled_ _ **PLEASE READ!**_

 _Ford carefully picked up the note, cautiously reading its contents._

 _Stanford, it's Stanford from the past_

 _(((If you are reading this, then that means you finally got the god damn memory erasing gun to work. Well done. Now I'm sure you're confused, but remember this is you you're talking to. And I'm also sorry to put this on you… but heres a list of things you need to do:_

 _…)))_

 _Ford read the list in half shock and mesmuration, not believing half the things on the list. But going over it, everything began to make sense. He sighed deeply, grabbed the gun, and walked to his car._

 _Shortly later he arrived where the note led him, to a large stone in the forest. Breathing hard, he activated the technology, revealing a large coffin buried beneath. There he lay, his eyes closed, the hole in his head fading slightly. Ford closed his eyes, fighting back tears, and slowly placed journal number 2 in his arms._

 _Ford couldn't remember the last time he cried so hard, as he wordlessly sealed the tomb, and held the memory gun in his trembling hands. Stanford looked down, and dialed in the keypad._

 _:Fiddleford Hadron McGucket:_

 _A flash of light, and suddenly Ford woke up in his car, unsure of where he was._

 _Time went on. Ford continued to perform multiple successful tests with the device. Eventually, he decided that this device could do the town some real good. Saving people from the things that creaked in the night…_

 _And on that day, the Blind Eye was formed._

 _But Ford could never forget what happened next…_

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 ** _"YOU!"_**

Bill cried out in fury at the sight of his father's appearance. In a mad rush of hatred and fury he raised his weapon, striking out at the old man.

When suddenly everything went red.

Bill's breath became caught in his throat. His breathing became short, his head shaking as he looked around. He realized exactly where he was. The fire… the brimstone…

 ** _Hell…_**

Bill fell to his knees, looking out over the ledge where he knelt. Suddenly, a slight chuckle boiled deep within him. That chuckle soon evolved into a maelstrom of demonic laughter, echoing throughout the realm. Everything in the netherworld went silent in an instant. No one had heard that sound in the last few millennium… but **everyone** knew what it meant…

Hell's army approached the ledge, everyone looking down in shock and amazement. There lay the man in the yellow suit, the master of madness and deceit, one of the most powerful demons ever…

…and he was home…

After a brief moment of silence, tremendous cheers rang out through the horde, their champion returned. Bill looked up at the celebrating amalgamation of demons. A deep grimace on his face and pointed teeth barred, with a shaking hand…

…he reached for the angel's sword…

…

…

What happened next could only be considered a sacrilege. Bill's eye began to burn, and in that instant he began the mass genocide of his people, their cheers of joy turning to screams of terror.

Weeks went by, no one could stop Cipher's onslaught… and no one was spared. The underworld's army could only stall his merciless extinction, as he made his way to the core of Hell…

Bill walked along the cracked, broken path, guard surrounding him but too afraid to attack. Without breaking his stride, he snapped his fingers, each of the guards erupting into guts and gore. He kicked one of their skulls out of the way as he made his way forward… to the throne room.

As he reached the large set of doors, two towering guard stood before him. "This ends today Ciph-" the guard started before Bill hurled the sword through his head. The second guard paralyzed in shock, Bill ran up the first guard's body, retrieved the sword, and swiftly decapitated the remaining legionnaire. Landing on the ground with ease, Bill took some liking to the sound of their corpses hitting the ground. However that was short lived as Bill opened the doors.

There he sat, larger than any mountain, peering down at the feeble form before him, glowing with burning red flame.

"Hello, Bill…"

Cipher looked up at Lucifer floating higher as to look at him at eye level.

"You've caused me quite a deal of trouble Bill… It will take several thousand years for the ones you've slaughtered to regenerate their soulless forms. However I must commend your efficiency…"

"Just shut up" Bill stated blatantly, "You know what happens next"

Lucifer looked down at Bill in intrigue. "You aren't nearly foolish enough to challenge me Cipher. What brings you to my domain…?"

Bill seethed in rage, "You… are a **false God**. Trillions of years in the making… and not **_one_** of your promises kept. We are no closer to ruling existance than ever before. You… are a _child_ … throwing creation's largest temper tantrum…"

Bill Cipher knew that these were to be his last words. No one addressed the Devil himself as such and lived…

"You… you're WEAK! YOU CAN'T TAKE OVER YOUR FATHER, YOU NEVER COULD! YOU LIED TO US ALL, DAMNED US ALL, FOR WHAT!? JUST SO YOU COULD WATCH EVERYONE ELSE BURN WITH YOU!? SAMAEL IS DEAD BECAUSE OF THIS ETERNAL POINTLESS CONFLICT THAT YOU STARTED! YOU DESTROYED MY SOUL, I CAN'T LOVE, I CANT FEEL, BUT DUTY ISN'T AN EMOTION, IS IT!? DESPITE EVERYTHING, I WAS COMMITTED TO _PROTECTING_ HIM, _SAVING_ HIM! SAVING HIM FROM BECOMING ONE OF US, FROM BECOMING **ME!** CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND, YOU BLIND FOOL! **HE IS DEAD BECAUSE OF ME, AND UNLIKE US HE CAN'T COME BACK! I WANT TO CRY AND MOURN, BUT I CAN'T! BECAUSE I'M A FUCKING DEMON! AND IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOUR ARROGENCE!"**

Bill fell to his knees before the king, but only because he could stand no more. He fell to his knees and waited, waited long for the sweet, merciful embrace of death…

None came.

Shaking, he looked up upon the throne, the King looking down at him. "What is it you want, Cipher…?" the Devil asked.

Bill almost laughed. "Wh… what do I want…?" he asked ludicrously, "…I… want…

…I want to die…"

Satan looked down at the feeble creature beneath him, the one who had slaughtered the inhabitants of hell, begging for death at his feet.

"…So be it…"

Cipher nearly choked up, but not before he suddenly experienced the most excruciating pain he had ever endured in all of his existence. He tried to scream, but nothing came out, and all the colors of the spectrum flashed before his eyes. He passed out from the pain, but not before feeling… something… different. It was only an instant, but it was there…

Warmth…

A **_soul_** ** _…_**

The wretched, the corrupted, the forsaken, Bill Cipher opened his eyes slowly, coughing up blood. He attempted to get his bearings, but then the demon realized something.

He…

He was coughing up blood…

He was **bleeding** …

He was **hurt** …

Bill could feel the rough dirt beneath him, looking up slowly. Before him were… words. Just one sentence…

 **Welcome to Gravity Falls…**

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The sirens kept flashing. Police were on the scene by daybreak. The Mystery Shack had been closed off, police tape surrounding the building. An investigation immediately went underway into the murder of Bud Gleeful and the disappearance of Gideon Gleeful.

The reverse twins stood there in shock. "Well… what do you know…" Dipper breathed, "…The madman actually kept his deal…"

It had been a stressful few weeks since then. Dipper leaned of what Samael had done to save Pacifica... and how Mabel had saved the angel's life. She had become distant since then, claiming she needed time to think. Dipper was concerned, Mabel had never cared for another living being besides himself before. However, she was noticeably kinder than before, taking the time to close the eyes and say parting words to the creatures she killed. It was… nice…

Stan was in a near constant state of anxiety and anticipation. Having no next of kin, the deed of the Mystery Shack went up for sale. By the next afternoon, the property belonged to Stanford Pines, and the three of them slowly approached the front steps.

One of the policemen came up to Stan. "Sir, these items were found in the attic, do they mean anything to you? None of our officers could deduce their meaning."

Stan looked down, and in the officer's arms were three books… all with a golden handprint located on them. Stan's emotions lit up like a Christmas tree, though he kept his composure cool. "Yes, officer… those belong to my family. Bud was holding on to them for safe keeping…" he lied hopefully.

The officer looked at Stan suspiciously, but then smiled. "Well I don't see one thing wrong with that! Here you go Mr. Pines, have a nice day!" the policeman said as he handed Stan the journals and walked away.

Breathing heavily, Stan and the twins walked up to the vending machine, and used the code written on a slip of paper bookmarking the portal instructions of journal 3. As the three stood before the machine, Stan worked frantically to input codes and sequences into the decades-old machinery. Somehow, it seemed like someone else had recently used the portal… the charging sequence was already complete. Holding his breath, Stan pushed the big red button… and the portal sprang to life.

Suddenly, a shadowy figure became visible of the other side of the portal. The three Pines gasped as a heavily clothed man in military attire fell at their feet. The man tore off his desert goggles and looked up at Stan with teary eyes.

"S… STANLEY!" the man yelled as he dashed towards Stan…

…and threw his arms around him.

Stan stood there in shock, his own eyes tearing up. Returning the hug in full force, he looked back at his brother.

"Welcome back Poindexter…"

 _,,,,,,,,,,,,_

The smell of alcohol was thick at Greasy's Diner, and Bud Gleeful sat in his normal seat in the corner, piling on the drinks. That was…

Until a small boy with white hair and a pine tree hat stepped into the restaurant.

"D… **Daddy** …?" Reverse Gideon coughed out behind tears.

Bud choked on his whisky. "…Susan… how many drinks have I had tonight…?" he asked disbelievingly.

 **"DADDY!"** Gideon cried, running up to Bud and grabbing hold of him, "I'm so sorry… I'm so-"

Bud immediately sank to his knees, looking his son in the eye. Wordlessly, he threw his arms around him, bawling his eyes out much to the shock of the young child.

 _I'm never going to let you go…_

 _,,,,,,,,,,,,,_

It was so short…

But the kiss seemed to last forever.

Pacifica could feel her heart racing as she felt Dipper's body against hers. They lay one atop the other on Dipper's bed in the attic. Pacifica hadn't felt this way about anyone before, and there's no one she would rather be with right now than the young man looking down at her, his eyes sparkling slightly in the twilight.

He leaned down, and as he locked his lips with hers once again, Pacifica couldn't help but dig her nails into his firm back. She could feel his hand sliding down her body, pressing against her, making her tense. Dipper moved his lips to the crook of her neck, nearly making Pacifica scream in anticipation.

He ran his fingers through her long blonde hair, admiring its silken quality, breathing in her fragrance. She could feel his body temperature getting hotter by the minute, as was her own. _Damn, why is he so good at this…_ Pacifica thought before becoming enveloped once more with his lips across hers.

As the night went on, Pacifica could only thank Samael for bringing Dipper and her together at long last…

 _,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,_

The air was thick with sorrow, the girl in the damp dark sweater standing alone in the pouring rain. Her face was coated with hot tears, and her hand was nearly white with how hard she was grabbing onto the handle in her palm.

She stood before a large field of flowers in the center of the forest, as she had so many times before. But tonight was different…

Mabel looked down at the device in her hand. She'd held one once before, but she hadn't gone through with it. She wouldn't make the same mistake this time…

She turned the dial back and forward, hearing the familiar clicking noise, watching as letters appeared on the display.

[SAMMY]

"I miss him too…"

Mabel's breath caught in her throat. She whipped around, just in time to see him. The demon… Bill.

"…But if you do this… you're destroying everything he died to protect…"

Mabel could barely breathe, "What… what are you doing here...?"

Cipher nearly laughed half heartedly, picking up a small stone and cutting a gash through his right arm. Mabel nearly puked as blood began to flow, but Bill smiled. "This… this hurts. I'm mortal now, Shooting Star…" he breathed despondently.

Mabel didn't know what to say, but she threw the memory gun to the ground and quickly removed her sweater to wrap around Bill's arm, much to his amazement. He'd never known kindness like that from any human, though he supposed if it had to come from anyone, it would have to be Mabel…

After taking a short breath, Mabel suddenly began to cry harder. She threw her arms around the demon, much to his surprise.

"Bill… please… bring him back… I… I can't do this anymore…"

Bill felt something growing inside himself… something he hadn't felt since time immemorial. He could feel his throat swelling up, his breathing becoming thinner. Confusion washed over him, along with something else he couldn't place. But he did feel one thing definitively… he… he was crying too…

As the small girl wept in his arms, Bill looked over her shoulder into the field, and felt his heart skip a beat. In the center of the flower blossoms was a steadfast cross, the letters carved into it almost staring into his soul…

 _Here lies Samson Pines_

 _,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,_

 _Zoo dv ziv…_

 _Zoo dv olev..._

 _Rh zm roofhrlm, xzm'g blf hvv?_

 _Gsv vmwovhh dzi…_

 _Gsv hvzixs uli kvzxv…_

 _Gsv iztrmt xlmuorxg rmhrwv nv…_

 _R szev dzrgvw_

 _Uli hl olmt…_

 _Gl hvv nbhvou tl wldm rm uoznvh…_

 _Gsv dsvvo szh gfimvw,_

 _Gsv kirxv yvvm kzrw…_

 _R'n grivw lu gsvhv vmwovhh tznvh…_

 _R gslftsg R_

 _Dzh svokrmt blf…_

 _Gibrmt gl yirmt slkv gl zoo…_

 _Yfg R dzh dilmt,_

 _Zoo yvgh dviv luu_

 _Gsv nlnvmg gszg R gllp nb uzoo…_

 _Sld xlfow blf…_

 _Gifhg rm nv?_

 _Gsv nlmhgvi yirmtrmt hfxs wvhkzri…_

 _Blf tzev nv…_

 _Zoo blfi olev…_

 _Gsv yfiwvm gszg dzh nrmv gl yziv…_

 _R olev blf,_

 _R olevw blf hl…_

 _Dv ylgs pmld rg hslfow'ev yvvm nv…_

 _Mld blf'ev tlmv_

 _Zoo lm blfi ldm…_

 _Mld gszg blf'iv urmzoob uivv…_

 _R'n hl hliib_

 _Hznzvo…_

 _R'n yvttrmt blf, kovzhv ulitrev nv…_

 _R lmob drhs_

 _R xlfow'ev hvvm_

 _Dszgvevi gszg blf hzd rm nv…_

 _Mld R szev_

 _Z uznrob…_

 _Dszg zn R hfkklhvw gl wl…?_

 _R xlfow mvevi_

 _Uroo gsv slov_

 _Lu blf…_

 _,,,,,_

 _Nb mznv rh Yroo Xrksvi_

 _R zn zm zmtvo lu gsv srts svzevmh_

 _R zn z wvnlm oliw lu svoo_

 _R zn sfnzm_

 _R zn gsv hfiereli_

 _R zn gsv lmv ovug yvsrmw_

 _…R zn hl hliib…_


End file.
